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Cyberspace is the nation's indelible ink
Published:  Jul 22, 2011 11:01 AM
Updated: 9:04 AM

vox populi small thumbnail 'You can flood cyberspace with all your BN warriors if you like, it will make no difference if all they are spouting are lies and deceit.'

Minister: We lost the Internet war on rally

Susah Kes: Higher Education Miniser Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Umno also lost the cyberwar in 2008.

Since then, many Umno cyber-troopers and bloggers got on the bandwagon. Even Umno apologists from the MCA and the Star took up blogging. Now if in spite of all that, Umno still comes out losing, then what has gone wrong?

I'll tell you where Umno keeps getting it wrong - it's the message, dude. You cannot put old wine into a new bottle and expect to serve it to the crowd - they will spit it out. And that is precisely what they did on July 9.

The Bersih 2.0 rally became more than just electoral concerns - it has evolved to become the rakyat's outlet for showing our middle finger to this Umno-led government that has given us Ibrahim Ali, Utusan Malaysia , "I help you, you help me", Teoh Beng Hock's death, Altantuya Shaariibuu, A Kugan, runaway inflation, a corrupt civil service, etc.

Anonymous: Khaled, you are missing the plot. Rather than countering Bersih 2.0, why not address each and every one of the eight issues raised by the polls watchdog? That would be easier, don't you think?

Kgen: It's not the medium, it's the message. You can flood cyberspace with all your BN warriors if you like, it will make no difference if all they are spouting are lies and deceit.

Trying to demonise a rally for free and fair elections is like turning white into black and rounding a square. It doesn't work because people are not fools like you, Khaled.

Ben Hor: Khaled Nordin, you not only lost the Internet war, but you also lost the hearts of a lot Malaysians - young and old, from all walks of lives and from all over the world.

1Malaysia: Nobody believes the newspapers or the TV stations (RTM1, RTM2 and above all TV3). I thought they would have learnt by now. No, they didn't. Their lies still continue. Even my children laugh when they hear any BN politician talking. Even they read the news online.

The ministers are not helping at all. They keep on talking nonsense. The only party that was wise was MIC as they say nothing. Still, party president G Palanivel had to jump on the wagon when he made a statement that there were very few Indians at the Bersih rally. I think he should have seen the pictures in cyberspace before opening his mouth.

Borg Kinaulu: Marketing 101 - it's easier to sell a good product than a lousy one, and yours, BN, sucks big time. Don't sell the product, sell the brand. But your brand has lost all credibility and stinks to kingdom come. When people think of your brand, everything opposite to clean, fair, efficient and justice come to mind.

Furthermore, don't kid yourself that you have not done enough on cyberspace - just look at how much money you have spent on mounting cyber-wars and hiring cyber-troopers.

140V: This is not a question of winning or losing the Internet war. The only reason the Internet is so popular is because the government holds the mainstream media with such tight grip that no other opinion can be published.

Hence, in order to listen to unbiased or otherwise, comments and opinions we turn to the Internet. If you put the government views on the Internet, no one will ever bother to take the time to look at it.

Why waste our precious Internet hours on the government views when every newspaper and TV carry the same message all day and night, 365 days a year?

Jiminy Qrikert: "Indelible - that cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed" - hence, cyberspace is the indelible ink that preserves lies and truths for all eternity.

You lost the war in cyberspace because Umno-BN's lies, racist nature and actions, cases of corruption, cheating, the brutalising of Malaysians and even murder of innocent people "cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed" in cyberspace.

And you will continue to lose the cyberspace war because cyberspace is the indelible ink you cannot conveniently spirit away on some flimsy excuse like the indelible ink for general elections. It is borderless, limitless and timeless.

DontPlayGod: "There are many good things that the government has done...," said Khaled.

Khaled, for every good thing that the government has done, we can name you 10 bad things that the government has also done.

Why isn't the government strong in cyberspace? Easy answer. Because the government is doing bad things everyday and there is nothing much good to say about it in cyberspace.

Auntie Bersih: The arts were my political awakening

Jesse: It is wonderful that people are awakening to the cancer that is destroying a once beautiful nation.

The nation's first post-independence leaders such as Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman would mourn in anger, seeing that the sons of previous leaders are leading the nation towards racism, sectarianism and widespread corruption of the institutions, not to mention personal enrichment through corrupt practices.

I'm very proud of Aunty Ooi.

Anonymous Bersih: Malaysia needs people like Anne Ooi. When I read her story, I feel ashamed. A big thank you to you.

Josephine: Anne is right, she is not to be a person to be honoured. Rather, we should all look to her and be encouraged - that no matter our age, ethnicity or social background, we need to get involved.

This is our country, and we have abdicated our roles for far too long to the politicians. It's about time we let the politicians know that we are the boss.

Lee Hwa Beng: She shamed all of us, including me, who was too scared to be there.

Tan Koon Seng: Anne Ooi, you have exercised your rights to demand for a clean and fair election reform, and as a pillar of strength you speak volumes, paving the way of hope for a better Malaysia for the current generation of Malaysians.

You were the last one still standing and holding a stalk of flower despite being tear-gassed and water cannoned. This captured moment has sent a distinctive message to the Putrajaya men that they have no more conscience. A million thank yous.

Solaris: Anne Ooi, you make us Penangites proud. It's not for nothing Penang island is called the island of activists.

Mirror on the Wall: Well said and well done. This puts a lot of younger Malaysians to shame. But I fear that an arrest warrant may be out next for the Five Arts Centre members for subversive performances.

Kamarul Azman: Any report that related to Aunty Ooi will always touched me deeply.

With or without permission Aunty, I have used your image, story, courage and spirit to tell whoever that I met and meet later on about Bersih and why we need to clean up this country from all malpractices.

For the young and old Malaysians who missed out Bersih, it's still not too late.

 

 


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