bersih 3.0

It took me a good 20 minutes to start writing this post, mainly because I had to wrestle with being completely honest and transparent about my feelings. I found myself typing away furiously on my keyboard, only to hit the delete key several times.

Part of the reason why I took so long in starting to write this piece is because I wasn't sure of the message that I wanted to convey. And honestly, I still don't know what it is that I'm trying to do with this post.

Bersih 3.0 is in 3 days. And in 3 days, I shall be heading down to Boston Commons to join my fellow Malaysians to stand in solidarity in lending our support for the call for electoral reforms. I do this, not because I'm jumping on the bandwagon, but because I'm a Malaysian. Those of you who have seen me grow up will know that I was never politically inclined. I never took an interest to politics; I was ignorant. Ignorant at how the government was so oppressive, at the corruption, and at the racial tension that they created (among other things). And if it weren't for friends and an amazing lecturer, Chin Huat, I doubt that I'd be the Malaysian that I am today. I'd still be in my little rabbit hole, not caring, perhaps even oblivious to the injustices that's occurring back home. 
That little bubble that I created around myself, for myself, was a huge fallacy. I once thought that politics was just politics. That it had no impact on my life, whatsoever. Politics did not seem pervasive, as long as I could eat what I wanted to, go where I wanted to, listen to the music that I wanted to, and do whatever I wanted to do that was not against the law. 
Or so I thought. 
I've never been more wrong in my entire life. That mentality was a fallacy. Thinking that politics had no impact in my life was a fallacy. A fallacy that soon became 'truth'. Similar to how people thought that the Earth was the center of the universe.
People often talk about doing the bare minimum. That it is better than doing nothing at all. While there is some truth to that, doing the bare minimum just isn't enough. Registering to vote and voting is sometimes not enough; at least, not when the conducted elections are dirty and unfair. 
And that is the reason why I'm going for Bersih 3.0 Boston. Because exercising my minimal duty as a Malaysian is not going to change much. Because what we first need is a change in the way our elections are done. And voicing out is the first step to change. 
Bersih 3.0 is a time for all Malaysians to do more than the minimum. It is a time where we speak as one voice, regardless of ethnicity, religious views, age, and gender. A time where our Malaysian values are paraded proudly- values that place much weight on honesty, on justice, and on love. Values which do not tolerate corruption, dishonesty, injustice, greed, and selfishness. 
I'm proud to call myself a Malaysian. Because we march, not only for ourselves, but for other Malaysians, for our future generations. We march for those who have been victims of injustice. We march in hopes that we can make Malaysia a better place for all of us. 
We march because we can. Because we have a right to. Because we should. 
If we call ourselves a democratic nation, then we should exercise that right given to us to choose our leaders, and to vote them out if we see them unfit. And this right is the fundamental basis of any given democratic country. 
People might tell me to just be a fence-sitter. To not be involved in Bersih. And to them I say, "No". Because every complacent Malaysian; every fence-sitter is only going to weaken our fight for clean elections. And a loss of a supporter only serves to strengthen the other side. 
I might seem like an extremist. I might seem like I have the mentality of "if you're not with us, then you're against us". Perhaps, that is true. But I urge all of you to take a stand for what is right. If you want to see electoral reforms, then make a stand for it. Don't make the same mistake I did- to bury yourself in that little rabbit hole, thinking that an unjust government is not going to affect your life. 
Fellow Malaysians, wherever you are. Take a stand. Don't confine yourself to that little bubble. 
Fight with us, for a better life.Fight with us, for a better Malaysia. Fight with us, for a Malaysia that we can truly call home.