I swear youtube can read my mind.
I have been thinking about this matter for a few weeks, after the first phase of "Movement Control Order" or MCO ("Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan" or PKP) was supposed to end. Then, suddenly youtube algorithm recommended a video to me related to what I was thinking.
Before I show you the video, let me explain.
The MCO (PKP) in Malaysia was initiated right in the middle of a power transition in Malaysia. Malaysia was in the middle of a political crisis. It was politically chaotic. There was a change in government. In spite of all that we managed to go through the MCO in a very efficient and effective manner. We come out of it rather successfully.
This was a surprise to me!
Under normal circumstances, Malaysian politicians, in general, are not a very clever or intelligent bunch (to put it mildly and politely). In the past, there were many ineffective and inefficient policies put in place that made life for the citizens worse. They are also generally bad at crisis management.
More to the current point, whenever an emergency or national disaster happened, our politicians handled them badly. Just look at the two MAS airplanes tragedies. The way both were handled by our leaders then were embarrassing. The only reasons the world was not laughing at our country then, was because the world was polite and recognize that it is unbecoming and impolite to laugh at people who are suffering.
Just remember all the tragedies of the past; the landsides, the floods, collapsed building, the national security incursion of Sabah; most of the times our leaders handled them badly. They do not know how to handle emergencies and disasters.
(Just to be clear, I am referring to politicians and government leadership, NOT the frontline workers, NOT the BOMBA, NOT the police, NOT the armies. They execute their duties to the highest degrees of integrity and courage always.)
But surprisingly, amid the political turmoil, the political chaos, the MCO (PKP) was handled and executed successfully, very successful indeed that even a mat salleh youtuber made that famous youtube clip praising Malaysia's handling of the CoVid19 crisis.
I attributed the success of the MCO (PKP) to the dedication of the frontline workers, sense of community among the citizens, the hashtag #kitajagakita and effective communication & leadership by the Health Director-General, who is a technocrat civil servant not a politician.
I refused to attribute the success of the lockdown to the country's leadership. But when I analysed the daily news, they also handled it quite well. The single point of communication & the daily briefings which provided clarity & assurance were handled effectively. They contributed with good policy, planning & leadership, (or so it seems).
This caused a cognitive dissonance in my head.
The facts say they handled the crisis well but my head refused to accept it. To me, Malaysian politicians do not have the capability and skills to handle the pandemic of this scale this effectively.
There is something I am missing.
I stew with this cognitive dissonance for a while. It might just be a fluke but I am a fair person. Even if it is a fluke I would have to give credit where credit is due. But not quite yet. After all, we are not out of the woods yet.
Then, one day it hit me.
Power!
Lots of it, the more the better.
They are not providing leadership during crisis.
They are dictating when and where people can move.
They are taking away people's freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom to work, freedom to play, freedom to socialize.
It was a show of power, which is easy for politicians when there are no resistance.
This is a wet dream of all aspiring politicians craving for power.
That was why the lockdown was successful. They were not "managing" it; they were practicing at being a "dictator"!
(To their credit, freedom of expression and speech, such as it is, were not curtailed further.)
Before anyone accuses me of blasphemy or encouraging dissent to the lockdown rules, let me be VERY clear.
I am NOT proposing breaking the rules of MCO or lockdown or the rules of the "new norm".
Keep a safe distance.
Wear masks in public.
Do not breach Red Zone Area.
But I do want you to be more vigilant.
Be vigilant of all new policies, laws and/or regulations introduced during this time until the MCO is totally lifted.
Scrutinize the efficacy and accuracy of all data relating to the pandemic. Fake or manipulated data might be used to introduce draconian laws/regulations that can be used in normal time. This pandemic might and can be used by scrupulous politicians to give themselves more power.
To steal democracy.
If you think I am exaggerating, remember earlier when I said youtube can read my mind?
Well, it has happened elsewhere, and not just in some third world country, but right in the middle of modern democratic Europe.
This is the video that youtube recommended to me.
But, remember, be vigilant!
Follow what is happening in Parliament.
Be aware of what the politicians are doing.
Do not let them use this pandemic to steal our democracy.
Salam.
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