This saturday (Nov 10) will be a BIG day for Malaysian people, cause there will be a massive rally (expecting 10,000 supporters) for Free and Fair Election in our homeland. This is a democratic movement. I, as an overseas student, feel like doing something the same here, to voice out and express my views, be supportive to the movement. This also to shows overseas students still do care a lot about the issues back in our home country.
For the information of the event, please check this: http://imperial.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7334771156
We'll do a rally outside Malaysian Students Department, which is located at Queensborough Terrace, Queensway, London , from 2pm to 4pm. We'll hand in the memorandum (same as the one back in M'sia) and take turn to give short speeches in order to voice out our views.
I just want to talk about my personal experience - the first time to deal with London Metro Police to arrange a gathering and obtain a police permit. To my surprise, it's so easy, nothing to be nervous about. They just wanted to know the nature of the gathering (what are we planning to do there), where is the venue, how many participants, what time the rally started and ended, who is the one in charge. That's all, and then they just gave me a Police reference number as an approved permit, asked me to leave them my number and told me to arrange with the traffic police department tomorrow, so that they could co-ordinate the traffic conditions on that day itself. So nice and smooth! I did not get a lot of questions regarding the purpose of this gathering. They just thanked me for cooperating with them and informed them about this. No troubles or intimidation. Wow... I guess the organizer in M'sia would be so jealous about this at this moment.
;-)
Soon many overseas students will be graduated, gone back to the country and serve there. They will be the elites of the society one day. I wish each one of them (including me) will be the conscience of the society and be a part of the change that our country desperately needed. I know many friends would turn down the invitation (as they don't like politics that much), but that's not the main point. At least they know about the noble cause why we want this rally and thus raise a bit of their awareness. My housemate discouraged me on the basis of why bother to ask many of my friends who are definitely political-apathetic to come? My reply is simple: for those who care about politics they already know where they stand, not too much to worry about. Therefore those friends who are political-apathetic, are the group of people we should really target at, to educate them about their rights and raise their awareness. To do that, no other ways, other than approaching them actively (also have to make sure not to bother their feelings too much, to be effective).
I'm still new in everything, just try to do my best for the good future of my country! This is how i love my country. =)
