A mother’s reason for taking part in Bersih 3.0

FMT LETTER: From a Mother for a better tomorrow, via e-mail

Why would a mother attend the Bersih’s Duduk Bantah on 28.4? Simple, if Rosa Parks did not sit and Martin Luther King did not walk, Obama could never have run for Presidency. I knew that even one more person would make a difference and so I attended Bersih 3.0 and sat down for a better Malaysia. A better Malaysia for my children and yours so that the voice of our next generation would be heard, that their vote would count.

It all starts with us and we can make that difference, yes my friend, you, me and all other Malaysians hand in hand, we can do it! For beneath our differently coloured skin and despite our ethnicity, the diversity in our ways, in our religions, we all share one thing in common, the Spirit, Heart and Soul of Malaysia, it lives within each Malaysian.

I walked at Berish 1, because one man (RPK) said, don’t talk if you don’t walk!! I was afraid that if I did not walk, I could not do what I loved so much.. talk! It was an eye opener for me, from far away Kelantan, I met many silver haired makciks and pakciks, who came at their own expense as they heeded the call of their Tok Guru. And I, a KLite would have missed an important lesson of standing up and voicing out for what is right.  It was also a lesson on how the news media turned around an event and made it look unsavoury.

When Bersih 2.0 came around, I was overcome by the fear that was created, however better sense prevailed.  Not known to be one to succumb to cowardice, I made my way, though somewhat late into KL.  There I met some young college students who came all the way from Perlis, they admonished me, Auntie you are from KL and you are late! I queried this group of young college going Malay students, how much they were paid to attend the rally?

Angrily they said even the drinks in their hands was paid by their own money.  I continued to query them that they got a good education more easily than our kids and told me, they had no problems and would love to study with Malaysians of all races.  They said they dreamed of a clean Malaysia, free from corruption, a Malaysia where their vote would count and their voice heard, so they came to support the cause of a free and fair election.  A lesson well learned from my young friends.

Come Bersih 3.0, I started checking with friends, as I did not want to walk alone this time and wanted more people to feel the true Spirit of Malaysia.  So a few friends decided to meet up in KL.. Voila.. we must have made for some pretty odd company!! One staid Human Resource Professional, another very conformist office goer, yours truly, a mom of two, before long, were joined by two soon to be priests from East Malaysia.

My two other friends who I was originally to meet, one a lecturer and the other a fitness trainer, joined the rally at Brickfields, however we did not manage to meet up, as the mobile phone service seemed to be jammed.  Did we care that we were, Indian, Chinese, Eurasian or East Malaysian? Wow we are just a great fruit salad of Malaysian friendship!

With our cars parked in the vicinity of Taman Jaya LRT station, we took the LRT to Central Market, the train was bustling with excitement and people updating and getting news of the rally, it was a festive atmosphere.  On the LRT, I met two young college girls who said that their parents were bringing them to the rally. Bravo to such parents! I told these girls, that one day they could proudly tell their kids that they made a stand for a better electoral system and for a better Malaysia.  Though we were apprehensive if the doors of the train would open at Central Market, they did and all the Bersihers eagerly made a beeline for the exit.

At Central Market, we just could not believe what we were seeing, thousands upon thousands of Yellow and Green attired Bersihers.  It looked like a huge carnival of happy Malaysians. Despite the heat and the blazing sun, we joined the long and winding queue of cheerful and happy people.  These were Malaysians with a Mission, who were out there to be counted and make a difference for the country. As we all walked in an orderly fashion, the crowds surged from Menara MayBank on Tun Perak until Dataran Merdeka, even the side lanes had huge spillovers, Lebuh Ampang, Hang Leiku, Tun HS Lee, were just teaming with happy Malaysians.