I was wrong about all you Malaysians

I will admit readily to being one of the strongest detractors when I first heard that Bersih 4 was going to be a 34-hour rally.

In fact, I so much as told the organisers when they held a small meeting shortly after the announcement, that I thought it was a huge mistake.

Malaysians just aren’t desperate enough. They aren’t angry enough. We take our comforts seriously, and where are people going to do their business?

These were just some of the points I raised in my impassioned plea for the organisers to backtrack on their plan, and go back to doing something “safe” like a five-hour rally.

In my mind, there were only two possible endings to the rally – first being that authorities would swoop in and end it within a few hours and second, that the protest would fizzle out by Sunday and end with a miserable crowd of very bored and very tired organisers.

But I totally underestimated my fellow Malaysians.

What I saw on the streets of Kuala Lumpur over the weekend was quite simply put, amazing.

I had been working and covering the events of the day from early Saturday, and had been writing out a story in a hotel room near Dataran Merdeka after the sun set.

By the time I was done and back out on the streets, it was past 9pm, and I was thoroughly spent.

As I headed towards Dataran, I was greeted by loud cheers and music, louder even than when I left the same place three hours earlier.

All around me were fresh-faced Malaysians, though there also were just as many who had already set up their sleeping mats on the road and looked tired from a long day.

As I headed to the LRT station, I met a friend who had just arrived. He was unable to attend the rally earlier as he was working, but he was determined to make his voice count, and had chosen to travel down to Dataran Merdeka at 9pm to stay the night with other protesters.

Years ago during the first Bersih rally, I was surprised that middle-income Malaysians had actually stepped out of their comfort zones in the tens of thousands to participate in a street rally.

It was no longer something for only the young, dangerous and foolhardy. It was unprecedented.

This time, I could hardly believe my eyes that so many Malaysians were adamant in keeping to Bersih’s 34-hour call.

Sure, most left after many hours, but just as many chose to come back to Dataran Merdeka yesterday, to ensure the protest would end on a high note.

Elderly folk with comfortable – some even lavish – homes were sleeping in tents on the hard Kuala Lumpur roads.

Families were choosing to spend a hard-earned restful weekend at a street protest with thousands of strangers. There were even some who travelled hours from other states just to be there.

Standing, marching and being pushed around by loud and smelly people under the scorching sun is not ideal weekend activity.

Having the sweat of hundreds of other people on your clothes is no fun.

But the Malaysians who participated in Bersih 4 in whatever capacity were not thinking about comfort.

They were thinking that the government has grown arrogant. The leaders have forgotten that the people are the rulers in a democracy. These Malaysians were tired of being fed stupid answers by even less intelligent ministers.

And they were thinking that there is no other way for their voices to be heard, other than in the streets of their beloved country.

The Malaysians I saw over the weekend were those working for the government, and many working for the private sector. Malaysians who were retired, or who just finished high school. Malaysians who were Chinese, Indian, Malay and natives from Sabah and Sarawak.

Malaysians, who like me, love this country so much it angers us that her leaders are keeping her from the greatness she can achieve.

And so I humbly, and happily, admit to being wrong about Malaysians.

When pushed to the limits of common sensibility, you are able to step out of your comfort zones. Thank you for showing me that many, many of you are willing to walk the talk, and do more than just be keyboard critics.

And thank you for reigniting my pride at being Malaysian.

Happy Merdeka Day, Malaysia and fellow Malaysians. We are far from a lost cause. Now, back to work to weed out the unworthy! – August 31, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.