Different coloured shirts have different fates

Lou Han Zhou (translated name)
Nanyang Siang Pau, September 17th 2015.

What is the difference between Bersih 4.0 yellow shirt and 916 red shirt? Try to analyse the following:

The objective of Bersih 2.0 donning yellow shirts was the ‘maiden’ rally demanding for a “Clean Election”, whereby the democratic spirit of one person to one vote should be fulfilled and there should be no phantom voters as well as maneuvering voters to other election centers. Furthermore it did not touch on any racial issue at all.

Everyone knows the present system of delineation of election constituency where the number of voters in some constituencies is more than ten thousand. Some constituencies have 80 to 90 thousand voters while others have only 20 to 30 thousand voters. Hence this situation didn`t reflect the spirit of democracy of one person to one vote. Bersih and the public strongly believed that such technical weakness could be rectified. However, it depended solely on the party concerned whether it wished to rectify it or not. If they could not rectify the problem, it implied that their capability in solving problems was questionable. Bersih only demanded the mistake to be rectified.

The first 916 Red shirt rally was to safeguard the dignity of the Malays, forbidding other from not respecting the Malays and other racial issues.

Shouting slogans alone could not safeguard dignity.

It really made others puzzled who was so daring to hurt the dignity of the Malays, is it the Yellow shirt? No, it wasn`t. The Yellow shirt never hurt the dignity of the Malays and neither did they shout slogans to hurt their dignity. Before their rally was dismissed, they sang the national anthem and a birthday song in conjunction to the birth of Malaysia. Which part of the activities of Bersih hurt the dignity of the Malays until the Red shirt had to come out to salvage their dignity?

In fact the dignity of a particular race is based on the true strength and competitiveness of the said race it maintains all the while. A race which dares to face fair and just competition, naturally will gain the dignity and respect from others. If it is just shouting more slogans and organised more emotional and agitating demonstration or rally, it will not earn or safeguard the dignity of the race.

Therefore the first rally of the Red shirt was a flop. They might be tricked or misled by others.

The Yellow shirt rally was held at the converging point between the government building and the Mederka square. It welcomed all races to participate and more than 20% of the participants were Malays. Hence it proved that it was just a political demand rally. Initially the Red shirt stated strictly that no Chinese was allowed to participate at the rally. They also intentionally picked Chinese business centres to be the converging point. This showed that there were elements of racial confrontation and the rally was to threaten others.

News of trouble ahead caused the traders to take a day off.

During the Yellow shirt rally, the business areas were busy and business went on as usual because the traders felt safe and worry free.

However during the Red shirt rally, all business areas near the converging points were closed down for business earlier or shut down to avoid unforeseen consequences.

Recently the 916 Red shirt gave rise to a number of contradicting demands which worried others.

Initially both the Yellow and Red shirt rallies were declared as unlawful rallies and forbidden by the police. Later they were treated with distinct differences. The yellow rally was not only unlawful but possessing a yellow Bersih T-shirt was also declared as against the law. Those who wore Yellow T-shirts or processed such items were forced to give statements at the police station.

The red shirt was not declared as an unlawful item. They were sold openly under the roof of the UMNO building. Those who purchased the Red shirts were not arrested nor had to give statements at the police station. Hence shirts of different colours have different fates.

It is a shame to have double standards.

Earlier the deputy Minister of Education Chong Sin Woon disclosed that MCA would not forbid its member from participating in the Bersih rally. His action agitated the Deputy Minister of Defence Johari and Chong was criticized and should be sacked or resigned voluntarily. However when UMNO top leaders did not object its members to participate in the Red shirt rally even though it was declared as unlawful rally initially. Johari just kept quiet. This was another example of double standards that led Chong Sin Woon to question this action taken. Can Johari read Chinese?

As the saying goes you must be cautious of what you say and when you take action, you must not practise double standard. If not, it will only disgrace you and then how can you safeguard your dignity?

Original Source:
不同色衫不同命‧罗汉洲