5 pieces of news that kinda ruined Merdeka for us

We found out the word Merdeka has two meanings. One, which is commonly known and understood, and the other from the original word Maharddhika, which is kind of the opposite, when you think about it.

Last week, Malaysia celebrated Hari Merdeka with messages about unity and understanding. However, just over the last few days, we’ve heard quite a few news bites that seems to go in the other direction and it kinda ruined it for us lor. Here they are:

1. The one where volunteers are arrested because their organisation was made illegal during Merdeka

 “They insisted on carrying their activities and deliberately wanted to challenge the country’s law and dared police to take action…they acted like gangsters,” – Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, The Star

APA JADI? 154 Penang Voluntary Patrol (PPS) personnel were arrested during a Merdeka parade where they marched peacefully alongside various other organisations and societies. Also arrested were some women and old people. Yes they were warned beforehand.

BUT WHY? According to The Star, last Tuesday, Police Inspector General Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that PPS was an illegal organisation as they weren’t registered under the Registrar of Societies. This was after a businessman named Ong Eu Soon claims to have been beaten up by some of their members. He added that PPS should suspend all their activities or get arrested.

Thing is, PPS has been around since 2011 to help out with crime rates n stuff. This includes traffic directing, volunteering during disasters and to patrol the streets to prevent crime.

2. The one which basically told you not to insult the Popo (or else)

“Khalid also took to Twitter yesterday to instruct the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre (PCIRC) to identify three Twitter users and take action against them for allegedly “being disrespectful” to him and the police force.” – The Malaymailonline

APA JADI? You know those tweets/postings you (or your friends) blurt out in frustration over the authorities? Yeah… IGP Khalid basically gave out a stern warning saying that PDRM will come and get you (mainly cos someone compared him to Heinrich Himmler, below:)

BUT WHY? IGP Khalid wasn’t happy being referred to as a Nazi. Oh and ’cause insulting postings are seen as attempts to rile up the public into action on the Internet. Hmm… what kinda action? So many questions.

3. The one where peaceful nudists were sent to jail

“The Rukun Negara principles, one of which is ‘kesopanan dan kesusilaan’, is the basis for Malaysia to be a harmonious country, which tells us to behave modestly and with morality but the actions you committed are clearly against these principles,” – Mohd Najib Ismail, Malaymailonline

APA JADI? Buncha nudists uploaded a video of their little festival on a deserted beach in Penang. Covered here.

BUT WHY? Some people who clicked on the video labelled clearly as “Malaysia Nude Sports 2014” got offended. Hm. Covered here also. A bunch of Malaysians expressing themselves, who’s only crime was not watching their video privacy settings 🙁

4. The two things thrown outside politician houses (no arrests tho)

‎”As a politician, I sympathise with what he has to go through in the incident. But that is the price he has to pay if ‘mulut celupar‘,” – Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on R.S.N Rayer’s house, The Star

APA JADI? Some dude on a motorcycle threw a Molotov cocktail at the Penang Chief Minister’s official residence.

BUT WHY? Who knows? Maybe it’s the same guy that threw a cow’s head in front of R.S.N. Rayer’s house. That courier company must be really trying to hit target this month.

Actually… the real question is why are the cops arresting nudists and volunteers with such efficiency when there’s a sick courier company somewhere?

5. The one where they didn’t even let her into Malaysia… Or give her water for 13 hours

“I walked across the police line to help those being beaten by the police and witnessed a man, Ho Kam Huat, being thrown to the ground violently and kicked by at least three police in uniform and another two plain-clothed police,” Natalie Lowrey, LYNAS Activist, The Guardian.

APA JADI? LYNAS activist, Natalie Lowrey was detained trying to come into Malaysia, and sent packing to Bali (she woulda preferred Sydney). During her 13-hour detention, it has been reported that she was not given food or water until the next morning.

BUT WHY? Either the authorities don’t want more attention drawn to LYNAS, a toxic chemical processing plant highly opposed by the public, or they don’t like people from Middle Earth. Since she wasn’t charged, we’ll never know.

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Let’s hope we have some better news building towards Malaysia Day this coming September 16th.