CAN YOU THINK OF OTHER WAYS TO SPEND RM 89K?

Did you know that a total of 973 tear gas canisters costing RM89,000 were used to disperse the anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) illegal demonstrations on August 1st this year? Are you surprised that such a large sum of money was used on innocent people who were expressing their sentiments about an archaic law?

The Malaysian Insider at THIS LINK reported:

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein said 663 policemen were deployed during the demonstrations while 442 were on standby at various locations around Kuala Lumpur.

He said 182 Federal Reserve Unit members were also tasked with dispersing the demonstrators, while 22 traffic police officers and members were assigned to control the traffic flow at the locations identified.

“There were also 187 members of uniformed bodies on duty because of the demonstrations on that day,” he said in his written reply to Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Serdang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Teo wanted to know the number of tear gas canisters fired during the anti-ISA demontrations and the cost incurred by the government, and the strength of the security forces and enforcement bodies involved in handling the demonstrations.

Let's do a bit of simple mathematics:

663 policemen were deployed
442 policemen on standby
182 FRU personnel were on duty
22 traffic police officers were on duty
187 members of uniformed bodies

TOTAL: 1496 persons were deployed to the scene.

TAKE ME BACK TO THE SIXTIES

As many of you know, I am a baby-boomer born in the 1960's. I loved my childhood and I grew up with Cliff Richard, The Beatles, Elvis, Nat King Cole, The Black and White Minstrel Show, Andy Williams, Flintstones, Bee Gees and many other unforgettable artistes and movies.

At every family gathering, I let my hair down with my cousins and we would gyrate our hips and do the Twist or the a-go-go dances with our heads shaking to the left and right, hands moving up and down in a most rhythmic fashion. Such glorious days!

I remember how as a four year-old I was singing "Yellow Submarine" this way:

eee ol ladeee yellow submarine instead of We all live in a yellow submarine!!!

It was when I learnt how to read that I realized what utter nonsense I had been crooning and the best part was - everyone sang the same mumbo jumbo.

More importantly, I was so young when May 13, 1969 happened. The only thing I remember was my mom coming to school to take me home and how I rejoiced because all the cousins were at home and we made such a racket until we heard the sirens and saw the truckloads of soldiers in front of my grandmother's house. Silence. Then we knew what it was all about and our hearts were filled with fear. Such innocence gone in the twinkling of an eye.

After the storm, I remember how we were all so patriotic and sang "Berjaya" and "Negara-ku" with so much gusto and the schools and media pumped us with so much propoganda.

Fast forward forty years later. We may be more developed but are we really one nation now? I cannot believe that this nation has grown 40 years older but we seem to be more backward in mentality than what we were then back in the 1960's.

My uncle was Tunku Abdul Rahman's very close friend and I remember how I was filled with so much awe and respect when I went to his home as a young girl. His presence seemed to fill the whole room and his calm and serene demeanour complimented his princely air and yet, there was this humane and humble note about him. Great men have such characteristics indeed. I still have the handwritten testimonial that Tunku wrote for me in 1983 - a real treasure indeed.

I believe that what made the sixties special was not so much the music or movies or that black and white television was introduced. It was because then - we had a Prime Minister who truly loved the people. He was a Prince and yet so much a man who could relate to the rakyat, a leader who led without imposing on others, a politician who exuded integrity and fairness in all that he said and wrote. It was truly leadership by example and he commanded the respect of the masses.

Did you know that in 1977, having acquired substantial shares in The Star, a Penang-based newspaper, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the newspaper's Chairman? His columns, "Looking Back" and "As I See It", were critical of the government. In 1987, we all know The Star was banned by a certain leader.

I doubt we can ever have a leader like Tunku Abdul Rahman...Of course I hope that there will rise from amongst us one with his wisdom, stature and perspective ...Is that idealistic me speaking?

The 60's and 70's ...such wondrous years for Malaysia....

Anyway, if you want a more international flashback of the 60's, please click on THIS LINK which Angela sent me today. It will take you down memory lane and give you a summary of important events, music and icons.

I will be changing the template of this blog soon. I hope that my dear readers will not react negatively to the new template. The truth is, I am quite sick of the sweet pink template with hearts which does not really gel with the content that I post these days.

So this is advance warning that this pink template will change into something else soon.:-)

Please bear with me and stay with me, dear reader. Thanks!

Here's wishing you a lovely evening!