The rakyat (people) have spoken, loudly, clearly, and in NO uncertain terms.
More than 40,000 marched to the Istana (palace) to tell the King that the rakyat want a free and fair election.
This Government used the police and the riot squad to prevent the rakyat from going to the palace to tell their King of their grievances. Yet, rain or shine, they all came peacefully and orderly, and some paid the price of having tear-gas and chemical-laced water blasted on their faces by the riot squads.
The fact that the rakyat had to appeal to the King to demand a free and fair election, a very basic and fundamental right of everyone in a democracy, is an indictment of this Government's unchecked powers to abuse and misuse the election mandate.
The grievances of the rakyat for the direct and immediate attention of the King are detailed out in the Memorandum presented to him at 4 pm on 10th November 2007.
The electoral fraud conspired by the political parties running this Government is too entrenched in the political system. It is a fraud designed over the years by UMNO and its Coalition partners to entrench their strangle-hold on Government.
Sad to say, the rakyat realised, albeit too late, there is no more power left in the political system, save the King and the Council of Malay Rulers, to stop the electoral fraud. That is why the over 40,000 rakyat had to march to the Istana on 10th November.
So, what next?
The King must act, and be seen to act, on the grievances of his subjects as spelt out in the Memorandum handed to him.
The King as a Constitutional Monarch owes to the Constitution, and thus to the rakyat as his subjects, and NOT to the political leaders in Barisan Nasional, to ensure that this Prime Minister and THIS Government come clean on the electoral process. The King MUST tell his Prime Minster that this Government should desist from denying a fair and free election to the rakyat of this country.
Malaysia' democracy hinges very much on "what and how" the King will react to the grievances of his subjects as contained in the Memorandum.
We do not expect the King to publicly announce his reaction to the Memorandum.
But certainly the King's (and/or the Council of Malay Rulers' ) response will be judged by the expected changes leading towards a free and fair election in the weeks and months to come. And this will be closely watched by his subjects.
Thus, it is crucial that the King and the Council of Malay Rulers should act now, and be seen to have acted, to the appeal of their subjects for a free and fair election.
Khairy Jamaluddin, the son-in-law of the Prime Minister, who happened to be returned unopposed as Deputy Chief of UMNO Youth, should be brought to task for asking the police to "come down hard" on those who participated in the rally. It is a callous and insensitive call by a politically very ambitious young man.
He is not even an elected political person. His charted course to fame in the political arena, courted primarily by the UMNO-controlled mainstream media, came about from his marriage to the daughter of the Prime Minister. Unfortunately, Khairy, with his divisive and clap-trap politics aimed at the UMNO Youth gallery, is not a good role model for any young Malay person with ambitions in politics.
Dr. Mahathir is right. This young man has too much influence in the Government for the good of the country.
UMNO has gone too far in its manipulation of the instruments of political power, in its abuse of the public-funded institutions, and in the excessive control of the mainstream media. The rakyat had been fooled by UMNO and its coalition parties over the years in thinking that the electoral system is fair and free.
A free and fair election is non-negotiable. It is a fundamental right of people in the democracy. It must be protected at ALL cost.
Thus, the on-going electoral fraud must stop. And STOP NOW.
That is the message of the rakyat to the King, when over 40,000 of them marched to the Istana on 10 November 2007.
Adapted from - Malaysian Unplug
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