Monday, May 06, 2013

GE13: 5th May, D-Day

The walk from the bus stand back home last night was extraordinarily chilly. Winter winds are creeping in. Propped the handbag on the table and made a dash for a warm shower before making a mug of comforting hot Milo to consume while Mom updated me on the phone...
We waited in the queue for 1.5 hours. We were in a different saluran. I think we line up according to age because your brother was in a different queue. He had to wait for 2 hours. Miss Tai told us she had to queue for 3 hours. Then in the afternoon, your father and I went out for a drive to you know, '8' a bit la. Went to see the other polling centres. You know the surau near our place? It was very well guarded. I think it would be hard for anyone to get past that wall of people. Even at the secondary school. So many people there to make sure no wai lao would get in. And many of them were young people. It's good.
Turned the lappie on. Had a few tabs open for live updates. Slowly, the results were released. One seat for BN. Then it was three. Then it went up to seven. PR had only one. Then it was three...
Oh my goodness! So kancheong! The last time I felt this kancheong was that nail-biting match between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan at the London Olympics. Where is an open air mamak stall with wide screen projector when I need one?!
Had Mel on Skype. Then Xin Wen and Deidre on speaker when they rang the mobile. Should have heard us girls during that virtual gathering.
Are you watching the election results or not? Watch the Astro Awani one, it's faster. Wah, I think my BM has returned to me. I can speak it so fluently again... Aiyo, Chrys, so sad la. I want to fly home and educate my people (in Sarawak) already la. I so sad until I already had four Oreos, you know!
My electronic gadgets buzzed non-stop. WhatsApp continuously notified me of messages from the family group chat, Sonia and Ray (who, bless his soul, was a volunteer). So did Facebook Chat, with messages from Ming Wei. Rotated between WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype and phone call.

Yes, I had work to be handed in but I think the future of my country is more important than my PhD studies this weekend, thank you very much. But I could not stay awake. It was nearly 2:00am and after spending half the day traveling, my eyelids were heavy. 

I woke up to a Facebook wall full of black boxes. Initially, I thought there was a glitch but on closer scrutiny, it was a response to the results from the night before. Admittedly, although it was not a surprise, I felt the heartbreak, too...
以为就此告别了凉意
依然推不翻过去
走不出寂静
白色的脸有黑色的投影 - excerpt of lyrics from 窗外 by Penny Tai 戴佩妮
Many Malaysians were dissatisfied not so much with the results but with how the results were manipulated. From the updates on my Facebook newsfeed (which by the way, has never been as busy as this weekend), the general consensus is that we as Malaysians are ready to continue the battle for a better Malaysia. That we, as the Rakyat and not as me, you, aku, dia, Malay, Chinese, Indian or Others, are prepared to accept this challenge to better inform ourselves, our East Malaysian brothers and sisters, as well as those residing overseas for GE14...
Seia sekata sehati sejiwa, menghadapi cabaran - excerpt of lyrics from Sejahtera Malaysia
My opinions are personal and my opinions are not representative of all Malaysians but there are some of us who believe in fighting this battle. We believe that no one understands the frustrations of Malaysia better than we do because we have lived through it firsthand. And like how I teach my students, when we want something, we have to work for it. Nothing comes for free, not even an eye-catching crisp purple RM100 note lying on the pavement. If you want that RM100 note, you would have to get off your behind, walk towards it, bend down and pick it up to have it.

No one said that it will be an easy task. What is easy in life, anyway? Some say that we are fighting a lost cause but every battle is worth fighting because we believe that Malaysia and her people deserve better and are capable of so much more...
Kami rela menjaga namamu, sejahtera Malaysia - ending lyrics of Sejahtera Malaysia
2013, 5th of May was D-Day for the nation. We now know that Malaysians young and old regardless of background are able to work towards a common cause, to speak up. No resting on our laurels now for we have gained invaluable friends and experience. We have 5 years to educate ourselves, to better ourselves, to be less selfish, to be more Malaysian. And this education starts now for the 1Malaysia that we have in our blood and soul and not one that is used as a marketing tool...
Negaraku, tanah tumpahnya darahku - opening lyrics of Negaraku

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