Hantu ketuk pintu and the monsoon.

Recently, someone pointed out that there were no hantu ketuk pintu disturbances reported during the rainy flood season. It was as if the hantu ketuk pintu are "afraid" of the rain or trying to avoid being outside during the rainy season. 

Just like most humans.  

Most people also spend most of their time inside their homes during the recent (Dec 2020) heavy monsoon season. In flood prone areas, people are preparing their homes in case their areas are flooded.

And in all this times, the hantu ketuk pintu did not ketuk any pintu. I guess either the hantu are afraid of the rain or the hantu have some compassion towards potential flood victims or maybe the hantu are also preparing their homes (or is it lubuk hantu) for flood.

I fact checked via google. The gangguan ketukan ended about 5th Dec 2020, according to some major newspaper, about the same time the monsoon rain became worse.

I did not know that hantu are afraid of rainwater. Or is it just coincidence? Very interesting coincidence!

Well, I do not know what exactly happen to the hantu ketuk pintu during the monsoon. I was just curious and find it interesting that the ketukan stopped during the wet monsoon (and the 2020 monsoon was one of the wettest and heaviest.)

Just sharing my thought.

CoVid19 and the Emergency.

Well, finally an Emergency has been declared.

An Emergency means democracy is suspended. Parliament is suspended. Also, during an Emergency the Executive branch of the government, the Prime Minister, the ministers & the Cabinet, has more power than during normal time. An Emergency is also called Martial Law since the army is given civilian power like the police. While the PM said this is not a military Emergency, the Army has been given civilian power, that is, the same power as the police. This should concern all of you.

Normally, "enemies" of police and "enemies" of the military are different. Hence, training for the police and for the army are also different. Rules of engagement, that is, rules and guideline on how to engage the "enemies", are different.

If we are in a true security Emergency, like during the Communist insurgency era of the 1960's, I do not mind so much. It makes sense to give the Army the power of the police then. But we are fighting viruses and stubborn & stupid civilian people, not insurgents or enemy combatants. Dealing with stubborn & stupid civilians needs a different tactics and mindsets than dealing with insurgents & enemy combatants. Lives are at stakes here.

Think about it.

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And then, there is the accusation of the grab of power. I have blogged about this stealing democracy here. The current government is facing a potential collapse due to loss of majority support. A possible snap election is looming. A nation wide election can cause a surge in CoVid19 cases.

Hence, suspension of government was a strategic move. Some people called it "checkmate move". 

Do I agree with this move? I do not know.

Dr Mahathir has said that it was not necessary since there are enough provisions in the current laws to handle the situation. 

The PM said in not so many words, that this is to prevent a possible snap election, which he and his team said is not good for the nation right now. This will enable the current government to focus on fighting CoVid19 without having to worry about politics. The PM said after the pandemic situation is resolved, if constitutionally mandated, then an election will be held. We have to take this assurance with a grain of salt, since, under Emergency rules, technically speaking, he has a lot of power, and he can almost do anything. On the other hand, the PM has built a trust reserve with the rakyat so far, that I am willing to give him the benefit of doubt.

So, was it a political "checkmate move" or a sincere move to protect the nation and rakyat?

Well, I am not naive. I think it is both. It was both a selfish reason to protect his position and to give him time to consolidate his power, and also to protect the nation against another surge. Whether you agree or not, it is what it is. People and politics are not straight forward. They are complicated. 

So, what should you do?

Like I said in my previous post, be vigilant. Social media is a powerful tool now. Use them to highlight irregular rulings or directives or policies that are not related to the CoVid19 issues.

The current PM seems sincere. (The keyword here is "seems"). Personally speaking, he has built a trust reserve with the rakyat, including me, I have to admit. But I am also a sceptic. I never give my trust 100%. 

The structure of our democracy also makes it hard for someone to steal democracy, but then, Germany in the 1930's was also a democracy. Look what happen to Germany & Europe (hell, look what happen to the world) in the 1940's.

Yes, I am exaggerating...but am I?

Hell, let's look closer to home. Ferdinand Marcos declared an Emergency in 1972 and ruled the Philippines until he was deposed in 1986. President Sukarno declared an Emergency in 1957 and ruled Indonesia until he was also deposed in 1967.

So, like I always said, read the past to know what will happen in the future.