Celebrating 100 Days With Our MPs

Update:
The date has been changed to accomodate Malam Himpunan Rakyat Anti-ISA

Date: 5 JULY 2008
Venue: BLOG HOUSE
66 LORONG SETIA BISTARI 2
DAMANSARA HEIGHTS.
Time: 8.00PM

The other details remain.
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Got this from Zorro:


Date: 28 JUNE 2008
Venue: BLOG HOUSE
66 LORONG SETIA BISTARI 2
DAMANSARA HEIGHTS.
Time: 8.00PM

Cost: RM30 PAX

REGISTER /PAYMENT TO:
YEW WEI KEAT (012-2138257)
514011899314 (MAYBANK)

LUCKY DRAW AND AUCTION

BLOGGERS....PLEASE CASCADE THIS DOWN TO YOUR READERS.

Tone Down Or Not?

I've been a little busy the past few days and have not had the time to respond properly to the myriad of views concerning the role of All-Blogs in Ijok.

I can understand why DAP has turned out the way it has. Why they can never win any major election, save a constituency or two with majority Chinese voters.

It's the mentality. Not just of the politicians but of the voters as well.

Jun E responds to my comment regarding her post. She says, "But All-Blogs should NOT go to Ijok and create a ruckus, or like Stephen says, a mob."

I'm not sure where Susan and I gave the impression we wanted to start a riot over there.

I merely suggested All-Blogs go over and show the people of Ijok that we are real people (not cyber-spam), and that we can have opposing views on the internet which they might want to explore.

Again, that was then.

I forget that Ijok is not upper-class Bangsar, Ampang or Damansara.

I forget Ijok has an influx of village idiots, whose minds would be a feat of mammoth proportions to engage.

If even two innocent photographers having a simple meal with an Opposition candidate can trigger unmitigated violence from our ruling party, to be honest, I don't know what to expect with All-Blogs physically being in Ijok.

However, I still don't like the way the direction of All-Blogs is going. We're becoming too pacifist. And yes, like ShanghaiStephen says, Jun-E has worded her reasons guardedly.

He may have been complimenting her, but being guarded is not good. Being careful is, but not guarded. And that's what we're becoming. The government's threats against us do seem to be working subconsciously. As much as we deny that we will step down, we are buckling under the pressure.

June-E says, "Its members can do whatever they like, but NOT under the name of All-Blogs."

I wonder, what exactly is it that All-Blogs CAN do? Have picnics by the lake?

It's not that every single Malaysian blogger should be united on an issue. We won't. We just won't. We naturally have different opinions. Sheih gets all drama mama in Susan's blog about being stabbed, butchered and whatnot. :)

But I agree with him completely when he says, "..we must be prepared to cherish the differences because there is so little consensus within us."

Get Down To Ijok!

Susan Loone has an idea.

She has suggested that The Alliance of Bloggers, more popularly known as All-Blogs should get their asses down to Ijok and get their proverbial feet wet.

I agree with her.

The rest of the country, especially the rural areas have no idea that a decent form of democracy is actually beginning to develop. And the only way they can be exposed to it is by meeting us bloggers and talking with us.

Honestly, if we are going to promote blogging and freedom of speech, we simply cannot expect All-Blogs to shy away from political campaigns.

Politics affect ALL of us. We CANNOT expect to remain impartial. It would make no sense.

Not all bloggers share our opinion though. A Voice and Biggum Dogmannsteinberg are of the firm belief that bloggers should refrain from and stay off politics.

A Voice: NO ONE SHOULD turn it into a platform for any private or personal cause.

Fair enough. But to say so implies that bloggers going down to Ijok automatically represent the Opposition. It is not about the Opposition, but about FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

Biggum Dogmannsteinberg: She seems to be politically inclined towards against BN (its her right, so be it!) and she is also trying to incite and influence other bloggers to follow her thoughts of anti BN modus operandi.

Towards or against?? Make up your mind, mate.

Seriously, I like Susan and all, but claiming that she can incite and influence a slew of bloggers simply by voicing her suggestions is frankly overrating her role and that of other bloggers.

Our role is not to influence but to open minds to possibilities other than the conventional way of doing things.

National Alliance Of Bloggers

Now I hadn't realised we were THIS big.

I happened to be hanging around 3540 Jalan Sudin when I saw the post (FYI - All-Blogs Going Places) about news of the National Alliance of Bloggers spreading like wildfire.

Jeff Ooi has a pretty comprehensive list in NAB: An avalanche of good press & unified tone - it's quite a whopper!

I guess it isn't all that surprising, really.

Even my mother has heard of it. And when people like my mother hear about it (and independently at that) then one gets round to figuring it might be a little bigger than one would've initially imagined.

Some of my favourites (though they originate from the same source):
Malaysian political bloggers form alliance - MSNBC
Malaysian Bloggers Form Alliance - Forbes
Malaysian Bloggers Form Alliance - The Age
Malaysian Bloggers Form Alliance - The Washington Post