Globalization in UMNO???

I never liked the idea of participating in a protest or demonstration. To me, it's too much of an 'old-economy' model. Malays need to be more dynamic and innovative than that, something Dato JJ has stressed so much lately especially concerning the K-economy.

Anyway, on Friday 21 July, after much persuasion from friends, I went to check out the demo organized by UMNO Youth. It's against the invasion of Israel into Lebanon. It started out with the Excos and 'Jentera' on the mikes getting the people at the mosque after Friday prayers to march to the American embassy, followed by UK and France. The perception of demonstration is lotsa people getting together shouting over something, burning stuff and creating one big mess for the municipal to clean up the next day.

It's actually my first time in a demonstration. My first impression when I got there:

1. You feel that people are there to 'tunjuk muka', in other words, they want/need 'to be seen' by the UMNO Youth bosses
2. Half of the people there are by-standers, waiting to see some action, maybe someone getting nabbed, FRU firing out their water hose (none of that happened)
3. 5% of the people there definitely wanted to find an excuse to jet out from the office (including yours sincerely :p) and another 5% was checking out chicks on site
   
4. People who demonstrate are desperate and do not have another angle to tackle the problem (if only we had a big fleet of long range B2 bombers and submarines with ICBM capabilities).

Of course, no demonstration would be complete without burning stuff. Somehow they managed to find Israeli flags and started burning them. I didnt quite agree with that because (a) the damn thing stinks and is smoky (b) kesian DBKL because they have to clean up the next day.

So, after making the 4 main observations, you would think that I'd be kutuking the people who went there to demonstrate. Not really. I came back with a sense of belonging. It felt pretty good supporting leaders voicing out the will of the people, most importantly the will of Muslims supporting Muslims 10,000 clicks away. Although we're not deploying troops to the Middle East, at least we're forcing the Americans and Brits to recognize our presence (yea they dont give two sticks about what's going on). Better than the neighbors of the Lebanese, either scared shitless about the prospect of the onslaught of the mighty US Armada at their doorstep or ensuring free trade will continue to flourish and enrich themselves only.





So fellow bloggers, my proposals to OIC are:

Creation of an OIC standing army
Creationg of an OIC currency - to negate the US dollars dominance
Creation of a new UN without the Security Council

Going back to having demonstrations, so, maybe it's old economy. Don't know whether there's a better way to protest (other than having UN meetings), but until we find that out, grab a banner and march on!

Here's what the Pemuda had to say:

DECLARATION OF THE YOUTH OF MALAYSIA

We the youth of Malaysia,

Appalled by the extremely disproportionate and destructive measures taken by the terrorist state of Israel in response to the capture of three of its soldiers by the freedom fighters of Gaza and Lebanon, when the Israeli regime has itself captured, kidnapped and incarcerated thousands of Palestinian freedom fighters and civilians;

Moved by the deaths of hundreds of innocent men, women and children and the injuries to thousands of defenceless others caused by the terrorist forces of Israel;

Dismayed by the deliberate bombing and destruction of homes, offices, hospitals, infrastructure and communication and other facilities in Gaza and Lebanon by the terrorist forces of Israel;

Horrified by the blatant capture and imprisonment of democratically elected and legally appointed members of the Palestinian cabinet and other officials in violation of international law and norms; and

Alienated and embittered by the conspiracy between Israel and the United States to prolong the wanton death and destruction by rejecting appeals for a ceasefire by the international community,

Hereby

Condemn in the most absolute and unequivocal terms the terrorist and inhumane actions of the armed Israeli forces that are seriously aggravating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and precipitating a humanitarian disaster in Lebanon;

Demand that the terrorist state of Israel cease all military attacks and provocations against the people of Gaza and Lebanon, lift its blockade and withdraw all its terrorist forces from Gaza and Lebanon;

Call upon the United Nations Security Council, in particular the Permanent Five members, to be worthy of the trust and responsibility placed upon them by the global community and pass a resolution imposing an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, to be enforced by an international force;

Further call upon the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution allowing the international community to extend urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and Lebanon;

Urge the conflicting parties to enter into negotiations for the exchange of captured and imprisoned personnel;

Insist that Israel release, immediately and unconditionally, all elected Palestinian cabinet ministers and officials; and

Appeal to the international community to extend all assistance to the people of Gaza and Lebanon and the swelling refugee population to enable them to survive and recover from the humanitarian crisis.

We the youth of Malaysia, call upon all good people everywhere and all nations that respect and uphold international law, human dignity and justice, to join us in common cause and end this decimation of a people and annihilation of a country by the terrorist state of Israel.

UMNO Youth Secretariat
Kuala Lumpur
21 July 2006