Gutter level cyber warfare

The internet has a brief and interesting history in Malaysian politics. Prior to 12th GE, the BN administration dismissed it as not creditable, irrelevant and of insignificance. An ex-minister famously dismissed bloggers as "consist of 70% unemployed women".

The nasty surprise in GE-12 has caused the BN camp to re-evaluate the role that bloggers have on Malaysian politics.

Immediately after the GE, some coverage was given to bloggers and some were even engaged by the until then skeptical and dismissive BN officials.

I am an avid political blog reader and commentator since 2004. I can feel the following transformation stages:

1) before GE-12, opposition leaders and anti-establishment bloggers are the predominant users. most of the posts written then, albeit with political agenda, are generally well supported by logical arguments; but

2) after GE-12, some BN leaders started to use blogs themselves. Ali Rustam, however, had so many negative comments that he had to declare his blog site "got hacked" and had to close it down. I also notice a lot more emotion andthe level of unsubstantiated sensationalisation has risen tremendously.

Poison letter, meanwhile, is a age old weapon used by irresponsible cowards to discredit some one. The "50 dalil" series is the classic example.

Sad to say it is human nature to believe more in scandalous allegations spread by anonymous cowards rather than believe someone who has the guts to put his head on the chopping block and speak the truth. The former fits the islamic description of "fitnah", right? If so, why so many defenders of religious integrity choose to rally to it blindly?

That's why I am disgusted by this recent gutter level cyber poison letter scheme:

http://rockybru.com.my/2009/08/loke-siew-fook-did-you-write-that-about.html

"This time, it is about allegations made over the weekend by some blogs that Loke, who is also MP for Rasah, had called the Sultan of Perak and son Raja Nazrin by some unsavoury names in a posting dated Aug 6 on the blog The Might of the Pen.

The blog has since been deleted. "

As Rocky himself mentioned, the blog has been deleted. I think there is a Malay proverb that spoke of throwing the stone and quickly hiding the hands behind the back. If the allegation is indeed true then why remove it?

Pretty obvious that someone is losing the battle and war in articulating about truth, justice and good governance, that someone has to fall back on what they know best. It is far easier to spread messages of hate and anger compared to messages of commonsense, compassion, reason and sound principles. Mind The NS state assembly is about a week or so away.

I wonder the commentators in that blog postings are hired cybertroopers or even the blogger himself or his friends.

I have spoken to YB Loke before and I have every confidence in him. To be frank, he is someone BN would fear - young, articulate, good command of Bahasa Malaysia, up and coming etc.

Base on this post below, which was sometime ago, would you believe YB Loke is a racist and lunatic?

http://lokesiewfook.blogspot.com/2009/01/bantuan-pendidikan.html

By the way, I really liked the post when I first read it and that's why I went looking for this piece the moment my blood started to boil. It is a small little gesture, something that most of us overlook and yet we all get lusty, excited and jumping on the bandwagon when there is nude photo, sexual acts taped, beers and pigs.

Malaysians love dirty linen, rumour mongering and scandalous untruth. This is the mentality that result in Malaysians being easily hookwinked by unscrupulous politicians and having our mindsets colonised by irrelevant "revealations" while the real issues get unnoticed.

We demand our MPs to fix drains, put up light poles and give handouts, which is not exactly their job. When YB Loke does that, hardly anyone gives a crap but when a cyber poison letter is out, everyone suddenly became a world class commentator so darn concern about him.

Also, look at the sequence....the 2 ex-Pakatan reps in Perak, accusations against Teresa Kok, Ronnie Liu and Khalid Ibrahim, invasion of privacy of Elizabeth Wong, the fishing trip in 7 offices...I will go to the bookstore and hang around the fiction session then for ideas....

p.s.

YAB Prime Minister promised us BN will change for the better to reclaim lost election ground. Well, ok. Let's benchmark this one. Last time out, someone(until now not accounted for and dealt with) issued a fitnah about Teresa Kok and loudspeakers. Despite the denial of officials of the masjid, the open refute by YB herself, S Hamid still ISAed her but released her after "investigation" - a laughable justification of reversed procedures.

o.k. YAB, show this tax payer some improvement this round, ok?