505

*this is the most serious post I've written since I can't remember when. Hadap je lah.

Semalam, adalah satu hari yang mungkin aku akan ingat untuk satu tempoh yang lama kalau tak selama-lamanya. Bermula dari pagi hinggalah ke malam, membawa ke pagi hari yang seterusnya, the focus was on GE13. Like many others, I have my own views and perspectives as well as hopes for the election. It's kind of sad too that I'm ineligible to exercise my right to vote because legally, I'm not old enough as I will turn 21 only on 29th August this year. But it's okay. I still have the rights to express my views.

Last evening was different from usual in my rumah sewa. Everyone was so eager to every information on the GE13. Everyone was with their laptops and phones seeking for updates for the results. Sejak jam 5 petang, ketika pusat-pusat pengundian sudah ditutup, kami sudah mula menantikan sebarang maklumat keputusan. Masa menginjak ke 7.30, 8,  9 dan seterusnya. Keputusan sudah mula diumumkan secara rasmi di saluran-saluran tv arus perdana tentang kawasan-kawasan di negeri Sabah dan Sarawak yang banyak dimenangi oleh parti Barisan Nasional. Kemudian, lebih kurang jam 9-10 malam, keputusan beberapa kerusi di Semenanjung yang dimenangi oleh DAP pula diumumkan. 

So, this is when the things started.

The mainstream media especially TVs started to play racial issues as they were referring DAP as the Chinese  that were competing against the BN's Malays. The fact that DAP have won many parliament seats compared to their alliances; PKR and PAS was highlighted by most of the TVs presenters and news. Pada masa yang sama, di ruang media sosial seperti Facebook dan Twitter, susur masa mula dipenuhi dengan pelbagai komen seperti "masa depan orang Melayu di ambang kehancuran", "DAP akan menghancurkan orang Melayu", malah ada yang mempersoalkan tentang tindakan sesetengah Melayu yang menyokong DAP (seperti aku) secara spesifik di negeri Pulau Pinang dan tempat-tempat lain. However, I think differently. A cleaner  and efficient government is what we want not the kind that will play racial issues over and over again.

At that time, what I was thinking that this is what some parties want to see in Malaysia. Malaysians who are so ignorant, full of prejudice and takut yang tidak bertempat. I've heard some who say "Tak apa kalau rasuah, asalkan boleh bantu orang Melayu." What kind of mentality is that? Nonsense! Personally, I think, a clean and uncorrupted Non-Malays/Muslim are much better than who live with corruption and bribery. Please tell me in what way corruptions can make a nation better? None. Just google what have the Selangor State government have done for the previous 5 years. I can say it was much better than the pre-GE13 government. Thus, I'm not surprised when the current government successfully retained the Selangor State's government.

After all the result have been announced, surprisingly, BN is still the federal government of the day. I would not touch on the irregularities and questionable issues on Electoral Commission. But what I can say, it's sad to look at how brilliantly the media played the racial issues last night. And for some Malaysians, they're still in 1950s. Rakyat Malaysia masih hidup dalam bayang-bayang perkauman yang diterapkan samada secara sedar atau tidak.

Apa pun yang terjadi pada semalam dan hari-hari yang mendatang, jelas kita memerlukan Malaysia yang baru dan segar. Bersih dari benci dan prejudis.

So, keep calm and vote in the next GE14!

B-5-13, Kristal Heights by Amry Hafiz.