The general elections is around the corner. And like before the previous one, I have been approached again to conduct a course in political intelligence and political motivation for vote canvassers and elections staff to be held sometime next week.
I can still remember how hectic it was during the 2004 General Elections. Everyday my colleagues and I (four ex-military Captains) had to cover Selangor, Pahang and Kedah; so much so that my daily routine for those last ten days were like: morning – office, 5pm – political discussions (am not at liberty to say what), 7pm – off to either Pahang or Kedah, or several places in Selangor to guide the fieldworks and campaigns. Then, it was back home for a short nap and then back into office at my prescribed time of work: anytime after 10am. There were several of us in the office who were working for various parties on either side of the political fence; but come lunchtime, we’d all sit and joke and eat together.
It was fun: suffice to say, I enjoyed all that. All that hard work was translated into two meanings: positive and negative. Positive – all the hard work paid off well; Negative – certain characters in the party saw me as a threat.
That was the time I was stationed in Langkawi. I had had no intentions to run for political office, but because certain characters wanted to see my immediate political demise, I took the situation as a challenge, and I had to prove my point.
My father once said to his friend, Mr Jeganathan, at his office in Wisma Genting 9 years ago:
“If you ask my son to jump off this building now, he would do so without hesitation. Never challenge him.”
I was handicapped, I could not go down to meet the potential voters. In the end my campaign was reduced to just sending text messages to the grassroot asking them to support my cause which really was: PROTEST, with some intelligence groundwork done for me by some friends. Apart from sending SMSes, I did not have to go around buying teh tarik for people, or promise them petrol and/or parking money (terms used to mask money politics, which in turn is a politically-correct but wrongful-deed term for bribery).
I won: both as Branch Head and as a Division Committee member.
This is 2008: the year for the next Malaysian General Elections, and elections for certain political parties.
I have one message for voters for these elections:
Now, I wonder if I have enough time to do a one-night visit to Krungthep before next weekend…hmm…
SeaDemon Says 