Rise and shine!!
It’s 6am, time to get up and go to the polls!!
There were people earlier than us.
Most people came early, which was good.
Soon, there were already two lines, and more people were starting to line up on the road outside.
It’s 8am!!
Mari kita mengundi!
Everything went like clockwork. No hiccups.
We’re done!
Ini kalilah…Ubah!
Meanwhile…
Let me know when the results come out, okay?
Then…a new battle begins…asking for better treatment for animals.
One step at a time.
The human issues would have to be addressed first, then we ask for the animals.
Can I vote?
Updates in the afternoon: Been reading so many stories by now, watching videos of ordinary Malaysians rising up and bringing foreigners who are trying to cast their votes to the police and my indelible ink is also already 80% gone by now, after washing my hands many times while some of my friends’ were totally delible. We hear of all kinds of sad stories today, some even scary and we wonder what will happen in the next 8 hours which will be the most crucial hours for us peace-loving and justice-loving Malaysians.
But in the midst of all this, my friend, a foreigner who has lived in Malaysia for many, many years, shares this:
I’m just on pins and needles today, deeply appalled by the horror stories of phantom voters, stolen ballot boxes, insane sums of squandered money during the campaign, and all the rest of it. When the cleanest aspect of the election turns out to be the index fingers which are supposed to be marked with indelible ink, I just bang my head on the desk in despair.
I have, however, seen and heard some things which keep my hope alive:
A friend who voted at the Methodist School in Brickfields says that they examined his index finger very thoroughly with a magnifying glass, so even if there’s the tiniest trace of ink wedged under a nail or in a cuticle, they’ll see it, if they are diligent.
He watched as the officials politely but firmly informed a voter that she could not enter the polling station because she was wearing a BN t-shirt and cap. Uniformly enforcing the rules? Amazing!
Although official documents said there would be no special accommodations for the handicapped, the officials at that polling station were leading all OKU voters to the head of the line and going out of their way to assist those in wheelchairs. And yes, my blind pal Moktar found a local person whom he trusts, and he too voted early. As I sat with friends at a mamak stall on my block, we watched a long stream of blind people with blue index fingers trailing by. Because this is the first year they can bring a helper/guide of their choice (as opposed to years past, when only the election officials could mark their ballots for them), and because they, like everyone else, are fed up with the shenanigans, I think this year will see a record voter turn-out from the blind community.
My friend said he didn’t see anyone in the queue who looked like a foreign national, but he was prepared to engage them in a conversation if he had. He himself is in his early 40s, an educated Anglophone Chinese. He has never voted before today, saying he couldn’t be bothered. He also said that absolutely nothing would have kept him from the polls today, and he knows of many other middle-aged Malaysians who have simply reached the breaking point and are voting for the first time.
I had to make a run to MidValley for some meat for the cats. I passed 3 polling stations on the bus, and all three had very long queues of placid-looking people.I think it’s also a good sign that Mid-Valley was a ghost town. I’ve never seen it so quiet on a Sunday. There was no one in the checkout queues at Carrefour. Malaysians are choosing to vote rather than to shop, I hope!
I love this country deeply, and if Malaysia were to offer me citizenship, I would readily accept it. But I am not a citizen, so I cannot vote. That foreign nationals who may or may not be able to find Malaysia on a world map are being flown in to vote makes my blood boil. I would accept the outcome of the election with grace — regardless of my own preferences — if I could accept that the results reflected the wishes of the majority of Malaysian citizens.
I know that right alongside all the dirty politicking, there’s been a lot of praying, a lot of educating, and now there seems to be a lot of voting. I hope with all my heart to hear good news in a few hours. And to my Malaysian friends, thank you so much for your courage, passion and integrity.
Truly,
Amanda
So, my hope is renewed and there is a smile in my heart again now. There is the bad but there will always be the good.
As simple as it sounds, I want to paraphrase our parliamentary candidate, Mr Wong Chen, who said with so much conviction at last night’s grand finale, that we are all united by one simple principle, ie. that one principle that is found in every religion, that “Good will triumph over Evil”.
Yes, as simple as it sounds, that’s all we need.
Let Goodness sweep across our wonderful nation today!
Reminiscing, a year ago…
Another day we will never forget.
Bersih 3.0: 28th April 2012
http://myanimalcare.org/2012/04/28/bersih-3-0/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYc6xobRHjY
This is the new generation of Malaysians.
No hate, no fear.
Let’s make this country beautiful again!
Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2013/05/05/ini-kalilah-ubah/
AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.
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May 5, 2013 
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