Midnight Thoughts #17: Leap Year, Withering Hope
Leap year occurs once in every four years.
Our elections held once in every four/ five years.
It took us 60 years to enforce a transition of power.
From BN to PH.
Many were delighted the change made in 9th May 2018. Finally, kleptocrats and politikus are swept. Pakatan Harapan gives us harapan (hope), that a New Malaysia has born.
Then, roadblocks after roadblocks, restrains after restrains, u-turns after u-turns, many were exhausted.
You can blame it entirely on PH, that PH is not firm on reforms, that they still pander hard on the conservatives.
But at the very least, spaces were given, hope is still there.
Friends and I discussed ways to empower youths around us. I myself take a big step this year, be more active in activism, though miles and miles behind my friends, my comrades.
Fast forward, not even two years, #LangkahSheraton happened, it happened so fast that many including I couldn't keep up. Many don't know who is the hero (is there even a hero), or the villain of this mess.
We gathered.
Gathered to voice our frustrations.
Gathered because democracy had died.
29th February 2020, it seems things were done and dusted. Tide has been turned, Syed Saddiq hit back and said he refuse to work with corrupts, in his own selfie-camera way. A fracture PH (re)supported Dr. Mahathir as the Prime Minister. Many are confident that they already have 'the numbers'.
Went to #WomensMarchMY to support great work put up by fellow feminists. While a forum on gender diversity is underway, it made me appreciative on the PH government. From a cisgender pov that unable to experience what our queer friends have been going through, yes...their rights are not claimed, they have so much more to fight for, but they have spaces, and that spaces are slowing expanding. Moreover, issues of women no longer only existed on discussion panels, but we can actually do something about it. Efforts from Women NGOs for the past year will bear fruit soon as a sexual harassment bill will be tabled in the next parliament sitting, supposedly.
 |
| Make some contribution for feminist causes. |
Then, a text from a friend, got rock-bottomed immediately.
Went out to talk with some acquaintances and friends, we embraced each other, simply couldn't believe that Muhyiddin Yassin, under the decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, will be the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia. A coalition consists of ultra-conservatives and right-wing politicians, all proposed reforms, may back to square-one, as if all of it was just a dream.
For the every step we try to go forward, we are heading ten-steps backwards. I couldn't fathom the spaces that have been built by feminists, LGBT activists, rights groups, will it further shrank? Or non-exist completely? Worst, the race and religious rhetoric constantly played by these bigots, will they finally realize it? Marginalized groups continue to be suppressed, voices not be heard anytime soon.
 |
| Spaces shrink and grow, but will they cease to exist? |
Here we are, all tired, pissed. Is all hope lost? many wondered.
For me? No, this is not the end. In fact, hope is all but lost, we must hold whatever is left. Only this time, we have to dig deeper. We gonna amplify our voices, on social media, on the streets.
We need to make our voices heard, to tell them that "NO, WE DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS".
29th February 2020, we gathered again.
We spoke, voiced out our frustrations, our dissatisfaction.
“DEMOKRASI MATI", "BANGKIT RAKYAT", we chanted.
This is not the end. This is a beginning of a long winter.
We need to mobilized, we need to be strong.
And to do all that, kita memerlukan harapan, we need hope.
 |
| Badut. |
Nonetheless, we have hope. Time is running out, but expect twists and turns until the very end.
And if not, we have a long road ahead and hope will be there with us, fighting the good fight.
 |
| Silver lining. |
'Cause you know we'll make it through
Disclaimer: All uploaded photos are mine.
Comments
Post a Comment