GE14 - New Paradigm Kicks In, Thieves Get Kicked Out

Campaign here, campaign there. Ceramahs scattered all over the country, with key Pakatan Harapan (coalition of DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Amanah and Parti Pribumi Bersatu) leaders sticking steadfastly to a hectic schedule against time (11 days campaigning period) to convince fence sitters to vote for the Coalition of Hope. Hardcore supporters like me, need no more convincing. On 9th May, 2018, it was a day of reckoning. The morning broke with an expectation of Change!

I was in the queue at my voting station at 0720 hrs. At 0740 hrs, we were allowed to enter the school compound as the queue got longer. Nobody stopped to check their voting details at the SPR booth, a sure sign that they're fully equipped to vote and their votes are most certainly going to Pakatan Harapan (after all the publicity and calls for support over the social media, where the once opposition reigns supreme, where mainstream media works against them). Polls started at 0800 hrs and I duly performed my patriotic duty by 0830 hrs.

I had spent the last few days campaigning in my own way, trying to create awareness and hopefully, convince fence sitters (they're awfully quiet and don't give away their thoughts on who they'll vote so easily) to vote for Pakatan Harapan. Social media was the instrument of choice as mainstream media was in the monopoly of the corrupt, the very people that the rakyat hoped to overturn. My Whatsapp groups were buzzing with activity every other minute. Detailed information and co-ordination were also shared on Facebook. Every mis-information was corrected on-line as the corrupt sought to disrupt the rakyat's focus on over-throwing them. This t-shirt would remain as a souvenir of GE14, a sweet one indeed.

In addition to being a voter, I had also volunteered as a PACA (Polling Agent, Counting Agent). Our purpose was to ensure that the electoral process was executed in an honest manner. Invoke, an NGO created by Rafizi Ramli, had 40,949 volunteers registered since 9.5.17. Out of this, 25,915 were PACA. Being a first time PACA, it was an educational experience as I learnt about voter's rights in more detail.


Invoke had spent 7,861 hours carrying out PACA training; 7,689 hours of phone-bank (to convince fence sitters) and 4,856 hours of door-to-door campaigning. RM10.2 million of donation was collected since 2.11.16, where RM7.3 million was obtained through crowd-funding, RM1.9 million through ticket sales for charity events and RM1.0 million by sale of t-shirts and books. Throw in RM1.0 million by Rafizi himself, a total of RM11.2 million was spent on getting the votes required to overthrow the corrupted regime. PACAs were equipped with their kits (by the respective DUNs, refer to pic on the right) which contained toilet paper (to prevent fingers dabbed with indelible ink from staining the ballot paper), drinking water, pen, bread (we had 4 hour shifts), sarong + t-shirt (just in case voters in shorts and sleeveless blouses were barred entry). We cannot lose even a single vote!

It was said that if the SPR didn't declare the voting results by 2100 hrs, it was a good sign that Pakatan Harapan had won. And true enough, voters and citizens suffered a lack of sleep as they waited for the news of the win at 0440 hrs the next morning (10.5.18) SPR suffered a backlash because of this (intentional delay in the hope that winners could be bought over so that Barisan Nasional can retain the country's leadership) but this will be dealt with in time to come. Shouts of joy reverberated throughout the country as the corrupted bunch of thieves had lost in GE14. Even though I slept at 0200 hrs and woke up at 0300 hrs and 0400 hrs to check on the results, I didn't feel lethargic in the morning as I, as many other Malaysians, were energised by the mammoth win in securing 122 out of 222 Parliamentary seats! A 60 years old party of Barisan Nasional was finally toppled!

Citizens gripped their armchairs as the swearing in ceremony scheduled at 0930 hrs didn't take place. It was later announced that the swearing in would take place at 1700 hrs, then postpone to 1900 hrs. The trepidation and the feeling of insecurity followed right up till 2150 hrs the same night, when the new Prime Minister was sworn in. Tun M, in his resplendent baju Melayu outfit, looked smart and fatigue-less as a 92 years old citizen (his birthday is on 10.7.18, if you'd like to celebrate with him and I'm sure Pakatan Harapan supporters will celebrate in unity). The next morning (11.5.18), Tun began work almost immediately and announced a string of actions (including blacklisting the leader of the corrupt from leaving the country) as the nation rested on 10th and 11th May, 2018 (public holidays as announced by Tun if Pakatan Harapan were to take over the federal leadership). There were actions announced almost every day and I had to create a list just to catch up. On Monday (21.5.18), the new initial list of Cabinet ministers would be announced, which is made up of 25 members. The important portfolios will be filled up so that the Cabinet can hit the ground running and administer the country the way the Pakatan Harapan supporters have envisioned.

This would be a country where we Malaysians will stand proud to be able to finally call ourselves as real Malaysians, where we joined hands to kick the thief and his team of crooks out of the nation's history, when we stand together not separated by our different races and faiths as we bring the country to greater heights (and paying off the nation's mammoth debts created by the corrupt as they stole to live off the taxpayers, in an extremely lavish manner). I'm proud to have taken part in changing the nation's course, a direction towards healing and betterment. I now have a story to tell.

GE14 - Stronger indelible ink which lasts till today (11 days and still counting). Home remedies were shared on removing the indelible ink mark - soaking the finger in Clorox, using pineapple to scrub it, etc). However, I'll let it remain, as a reminder of how Malaysians stood up to the corrupt and arrogant marauders.