If mum knew what I was up to last night...

she'd throw her Japanese slippers at me.

Heh. No, this is not a juicy post, but rather a chance to vent my frustrations (along with many Malaysians) of the current political scenario.

I accompanied a freelance radio journalist friend to Jalan Hang Tuah where the said opposition bigwig was detained (freed at current point in time).
Being naturally nosy and itching for excitement, I got a chance to take these amateur photos at the scene.
A shot from the divider(standing underneath the shaky monorail), the police's Federal Reserve Unit stand guard.










While the group of supporters crowd around, amidst the hundreds of press photographers, camera personnel and journalists who jostled to get the best angles.









So I chose to stand next to the FRU line, should jeers or taunts turn into an ugly clash. At least, I thought, I would be facing in the opposite direction should the teargas guns fire away.
Plus, running towards the police station (located behind the FRU line), was the best escape route in my torn sandals.
I guess, more importantly, as I chatted with my weary-eyed friends tasked to cover this long night, the bigger question remains.

Why are Malaysians being dragged into this time consuming and time wasting tussle for power. As cliche-d as it will sound, priorities are misplaced and we forget why we push for transparency and accountability in the first place.

Were we misguided as Malaysians on March 8? Were we misled to believe that there could be hope for at least a better life as a Malaysian?
Idealistic, yes. I believe I am entitled to that, like the rest that voiced their rights that fateful day. And as a person who hates to rant and whine, could we not be pro-active then since the hope that March 8 brought seems to be fading..

I turn 31 this year. I want to be able to tell my friends from other countries that while Malaysia is not perfect, it is home. It is colourful, exciting, slow at times, but it has soul.

But the current spare of events in the past month is embarassing, and disappointing. What can we do as Malaysians. Close one eye? Or both. Do we make plans to pack our lives into boxes (again) and live in places not called home? Or do we carry a placard and holler for our "voices" to be heard (again)? I'll ask Oracle when he distributes flyers in the Ss2 coffeeshops.

What do we do?