Thursday, September 13, 2007

Batu Buruk Tragedy, an UMNO 9-11 Debacle?

Too much have already been said about the September 11 tragedy in NY, USA; yet much more remains to be said. I believe many have looked and read untold number of pictures, videos, news and stories about it, and many more will continue doing so until one day, the truth may well end as a legend. Be it as it may, I only have 2 things to add to the tragedy:

1. Barely a week after the tragedy, an Israeli plane carrying 100 Israel nationalities were shot over Ukraine. Now, we know how supposedly protective Israel is regarding its citizens, especially of its soldiers. Yet due to some unknown factors, the news of the matter just died - I believe it was The Star reporting on an AP news. How could this be when we know how vengeful the Israel nation and army is against the rest of the world, especially against the Palestinians and Arabs. How could the state of Israel not condemn nor take any action against the those responsible? Could those who perished have had some form of connection to 9-11 and their deaths is actually a relief to whomever is behind it? I can only speculate they did.

2. For all the military might and intelligence of the US, they have been proven to be inept, taking into consideration that - were it true - the alleged perpetrators of 9-11 are people who were loosely trained and without any real organisation. Or, at worst, the US Forces are nothing but puppets. The choice between the two, we'll let them decide themselves.

As a result of the 9-11, the US found the excuse it needed to launch an invasion into Afghanistan, purportedly one of the world's least developed nation, and later into Iraq, an arguably dictatorial state. The US government claims victory over victory in their war against terrorism (read: Islam), pushing aside rising evidence and public disbelief over the whole 9-11 tragedy. Like Vietnam, the 9-11 is now becoming a debacle to the US.

Whether coincidence or not, the tragedy at Batu Buruk occurred near to the anniversary date of 9-11. Certainly neither BERSIH nor anyone else could have foreseen the unfurling of event on that day which led to police violence against the very people that have sworn to protect. And similarly like 9-11, much has been said but much more will be said regarding the tragedy. To me personally, I chose not to believe nor to disbelieve anything until an independent body can investigate the matter and listen fairly to all involved there.

However, there is something which I would like to share: 2 photographs that was circulated via the net and are as below.

Picture 1:


Picture 2.



Any person looking at the picture may concur with UMNO that the crowd at Batu Buruk were unruly and can even be considered traitorous by their act of burning the Malaysian flag. What more when some local dailies were to add some suggestive words to paint a truly negative image. But somehow, in my mind, both the pictures just don't seem right.

Picture 1:
a)For a crowd that was painted unruly and a riot, except for the flag burning guy with the helmet, the rest in the picture surely does not seem dressed to kill, were they?

b)Then, except for the guy in background who seems to be walking towards the photographer, how is it the rest in the picture don't seem to notice the flag being burnt? I mean, if they were truly the mob mentioned in mainstream media, would not the crowd there be urging this flag-burning guy more? But as it is, they don't even seem to notice him at all!

C)There's also the sneaky suspicious feeling about the photographer. Now, if I were a photographer or a reporter, the place I want to be in such a moment is where the action is. Normally, the action would take place amongst of in front of a large crowd instead of where this picture was taken. Perhaps it was just luck of the Irish for the photographer. But then, why only one shot? Would not there have been several shots of the scene?


Picture 2.
a) As in 1b and 1c, the rule should apply here as well. Granted the picture is smaller and seem to be conveniently focused on the flag-burner. Even then, the background shows the legs of very few people.

b) Notice the smoke from the fire? It seem ridiculous little when you take into consideration that when fire is applied to still alive leaves and branches, the amount of smoke would be much more. In fact when you look at it, there seem to be more smoke in pic A.

c) Look closely the the flag-burning guy's face; you can't! The picture has been blurred. Why? Good question! One I'm asking myself. With the furor of this incident hot in the news and the supposedly zeal in wanting to capture the flag burners, why would the media distort the image?

Ok, so far I may have sound more like a conspiracy theorist than not. But there's something else I would like you to look closely at - the shadows in pic A. While almost everyone's shadow fall towards the photographer, the flag-burner's seem to fall a different direction. It could not have been due to the light emitted by the camera's flash - the shadow falls totally out of synch! A doctored picture? I don't know.


Taking these and the accounts I have read thus far(including Parliament's refusal to accept a motion to debate this issue), leads me to believe that if truly the riot was caused by UMNO and its stooges, then this will be a debacle they will find hard to rise from.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Very interesting points to ponder.

cakapaje said...

I would like to think so too. But let's see how things progress from here.

tokasid said...

Salam cakapaje:

When I first saw the photo of that Mat Helmet burning the flag, somehow I felt something is not right with the photo. After reading a few p[osting and the explaination you gave. I am more than convinced that that p[hoto was done on purpose to condemn that opposition movements and also the activities of BERSIH. I won't be suprise if from that day till the next GE is over, BERSIH will not be given any permit to organise its talks/roadshow.

The riot in KT( by the way, riot by whom? Riot by the Riot Police?)is a booster to the BN machinery for the next GE. They now have footages of KT riot to replace the Memali tragedy which ZAM repeatedly show it on RTM channels during the last GE.

With the circus by the sudden patriotism of Sri Gading MP( where was he during the Namewee Negara kuku episode? I remembered well Sri Gading MP wanted to throw Hattan into the sea for singing NegaraKu in a rock version).

We know the present political scenario if full of dirt. politicians all over couldn't be bother what they do is morally or religously right or wrong. To most of them....its the end result taht matters to them. There is no halal or haram, right or wrong. Thats why we see double standard dealings in everything.

But, to use a govt agency(police) as a political tool and to gain political mileage is very disgusting.

How then can the public regain their confidence in the police force? Actions like this will receive scepticism from the public.
We know all policemen are 'thugs'.
And we know these actions came up from higher places. It is the officers who allowed themselves to be used by the ruling political parties. The rank and files will say: Kami hanya ikut arahan.
But, when we see some of them are very enthuastic in 'performing' their duties, we wonder whether they are 'mengikut arahan' or eagerly 'menunggu arahan'.

I knew of an ex-SB officer, he told me years ago, the police force esp the Special Branch will do anything asked by the govt. And that status quo must be maintained. There are officers who are very proud of serving that purpose. And their mentality towards any group opposing the govt( doesn't matter if its a political party or NGOs)is fixed: Those against the govt are the state's enemy and must be brought down.

What more after this??

tokasid said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cakapaje said...

Salam Doc,

Don't how far its true but I am told most SB's are sort of brainwashed by the superiors.

In fact, if you were to look at it aproper, the entire population is being brainwashed with lopsided reports favouring the BN and only the BN and nothing else.