You see, with the elections suddenly being announced out of the blue (well, at least to me) and of all things, they scheduled it on a Wednesday which means any chance of just taking off for the weekend is gone, and this being right after I had taken extended leave for CNY, for Cheng Beng and then for the Water Festival, I just didn't want to be making another trip so close to the last. I know I can. But I don't want to. I guess, much to the disappointment of many other fellow Malaysians. Well, actually, I would've gone back had Ah Por said she wanted to cast her vote because then I would take her (and that would mean I still wouldn't be able to cast my vote), but she said she's too old to vote so she doesn't want to travel back and forth. Done deal, so that's that.
Somehow, I was a little taken aback during my last trip in Malaysia because everyone was talking politics! Even the aunties walking around at the park for their morning exercise!! I've literally had people I do not know asking me to "Please come back to vote!" or "You must come back to vote!" There's even an FB Page called "Jom Balik Undi" where I saw the netizens organizing car pooling and pick-up services in order to get the people down to the ballot boxes. What was even more intriguing was MNCs offering their services in order to get the people down in droves to the ballot boxes.
Here's an article in South China Morning Post : "Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Hits Political Turbulence With Offer To Malaysian Voters" (personal POV is that - it's a commercial biz, and when there's an opportunity to build relationship with the customers - why not. I don't see why the idiot government need to slam them for it? #FacePalm)
and another article in Channel News Asia : "Go Home To Vote : Malaysians, Companies Offer To Help Fellow Citizens Travel Home To Cast Ballots"
and not to mention Air Asia's "Fly Home To Vote" Promotion
Well done, Malaysians and beyond for this cry of unity. At first, after reading all these battle cries from citizens of all walks of life unite to go to war with the a**-hole PM, I felt guilty and felt I needed to apologize for my own decision of not going home to vote. But on hindsight, I don't think I owe anyone an apology for my decision. It is after all, my rights and I can so choose to exercise my right to vote or not to exercise my right to vote.
I guess, work absence reasons aside, a big part of me has been feeling utmostly desensitized after the GE 13 in 2013. I was very gung-ho back then for the change (mostly just wanted Malaysia to be rid of brainless clowns running the country) and even attended quite a number of ceramahs including the great one where everyone turned out in black at the Kelana Jaya Stadium. Bright and early on voting day 2013, I casted my first ever vote with such high hopes in my chest that when I wake up, there'll be a new government. Well, you all know what happened lah. The a**-hole still ruled and even asked the Chinese "Apa lagi Cina mau?" (What more do the Chinese want?). Hopes dashed, I flew home to Myanmar with a crushed heart. I unfollowed every political page from Malaysia and stopped following the Malaysian politics. I tossed and turned for a couple of weeks before I even wrote my thoughts about : GE 13 : The Tsunami Aftermath
Of course, it's social media. One cannot totally unfollow news unless you consider staying off social media completely. I still come across articles of the Malaysian government's utmost stupidity every now and then and I'm usually both angered and baffled by how rock-bottom stupid can they really get? Like, even if I used the word "stupidest", it doesn't do their stupidity any justice!! I seriously cannot imagine at all their blatant ..... blatant..... brainlessness. I've always joked that they should hire me as their PR Consultant. I mean, here - look at what a Minister said about statutory rape :
I mean, reading that, don't you really want to question where does the brainless stupidity come from? #EpicFail. I actually cannot believe there are publishers who compiled their stupidity into reading materials, but hey - these are very entertaining contents indeed. For those who need a good laugh for the day - you can click on these links here and here by Vulcan Post 😆😆😆
Anyway, sorry I got derailed. Yes, so back to me not coming home to vote. I guess I'm not so into politics. From what I had understood about the new delineation (yet another blatantly bad PR move by the moronic incumbent government), the area where I am due to vote is considered 'safe' - as in, my vote doesn't count in this "numbers game" which will be mainly what the GE 14 is about due to the incumbent government's cheating methods. I mean, seriously, apparently he only needs 20% majority to win 😡😡😡 (Did Najib Just Pocket The Malaysian Election?) Anyway, I've always hated that 'Dunno What Jip' (this is how my dear Ah Por calls this a**-hole 😁😁😁) and his government. He is one of the most embarrassing PM ever and has driven the country to rock bottom. To be honest, sometimes to avoid having awkward conversations with taxi drivers or strangers while I live abroad in Myanmar, when they ask me where am I from, I would say something like "Mongolia" or the likes 😝😝😝 Especially that time when that moronic brainless fool insulted The Lady #FacePalm1000Times
Whilst Malaysia is my place of birth, I cannot say that I am all that patriotic despite being born on Merdeka Day. Yes, I call Malaysia my home because that's where my family is at. I go home and it's because I go 'home' to them. I also call Myanmar my home now that I live here. It's my home because I too have family here - my husband, that is. And the children I volunteer for. And the SoyAi Boys. And my students. I used to call Cambodia my home too. And Vietnam. And so on, so forth. I am not a particularly "rooted" sort of person if you know what I mean. In fact, at any given trip back to Malaysia, I also stay from "home" to "home" - from my husband's to my parents' to the village. I'm like a gypsy 😨😨😨 When I am abroad, I do not have cravings for Malaysian food. In fact, I actually go out of my way avoiding Malaysian food. When I am back in Malaysia, of course, I would want to eat all the Malaysian favourites, etc. I don't know why there's just this button in me that's missing. There was a girl who posted this statement on FB all the way from Berlin : "I've never felt wanted by Malaysia. Yet I still stubbornly call it home." I have friends who have migrated to other countries and are even permanent residents who still have really deeply embedded emotions for Malaysia. I can't say the same. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate Malaysia. The country is beautiful. The people - well, you can see how united Malaysians can get when they indeed do need to go to war. The people are warm and friendly and one of the reasons I don't crave Malaysian food outside of Malaysia is because it just doesn't taste authentic. There are many beautiful spots in the country (only problem is the very brainless government do not know how to drive and grow tourism in Malaysia - simply because it is just corrupted to the core). But I dunno, I think the years of the government's stupidity and sidelining policies have taken its toll I suppose. Who knows. Maybe I have to wait for more years to come by. Maybe it'll take me another journey of self-discovery before I find myself embracing my roots.
But for now, I will just cheer Malaysians on from the sidelines. Yes, like many of you, I do want to see that Dunno What Jip sentenced to jail for the pilferage of Malaysia's good. I want to see him being brought to the stand. But I won't be casting my vote. I'll be praying from all the way over here. And when you go to vote, I will be singing this song for all of yous :
"I'm not afraid
To take a stand
Everybody
Come take my hand
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm,
Just letting you know that, you're not alone
Holler if you feel like you've been down the same road."
#Eminem ☝☝☝
Whatever weather, cold or warm,
Just letting you know that, you're not alone
Holler if you feel like you've been down the same road."
#Eminem ☝☝☝
