907 Tribute #3: July 9 was only the beginning — Krystina Sze

And another tribute:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When people ask me how the rally was, I find myself short of words to describe the amazing event that transpired in our Willayah Persekutuan. Just the united atmosphere and sheer number of people who turned up, the young, the old, the middle aged, the different races, the people who came days in advance so that they could be there, the disabled who came on their wheelchairs/crutches, the people who came with extra amenities to help the crowd, the people of Malaysia – who came because they want change was indescribable.

My first exposure to the entire Bersih rally and everything they stand for was when I started reading articles that my brother had posted on his Facebook. When he first announced that he would attend the rally, I think no one in my family supported his cause. Then he started asking if people wanted to buy the T-shirt, and I ordered two, thinking I’d just support them by spreading the word and getting people to register to vote. Then the crackdowns started, and suddenly I felt that more had to be done. Suddenly my Facebook was dedicated to raise awareness for the rally. Soon I realised not enough people were reading the articles, so I started sending them out as emails/msgs to different people.

When I started facing “different views” about the rally, I started getting annoyed at people’s indifference; I spent some good time arguing with them about why they shouldn’t be apathetic towards the oppression and corruption that was going on in our country. I realised, the more I argued with them, the more sure I became of my personal views.

Even then, I wasn’t sure if I would have the courage to face persecution widely announced by some ministers against any Bersih rally marchers. Every time someone asked if I was attending the rally I’d question myself if I would really wake up early on a Saturday morning to stand up for my own rights.

Up till Friday I was still a little anxious of the repercussions of attending the rally. I didn’t really know what to expect, and if any good would come out of standing in the middle of KL city/in the stadium to support the good people who were fighting for fair elections. However, I knew that I had to be there just because.

So I started making arrangements, I started passing out my work to follow up on Monday to my colleagues, I got some colleagues/friends to promise to bail me out if I got caught, I planted crops in Farmville that would only be ready for harvest three/four days after the rally. I packed a bag with wheels filled with necessities for the rally (which in the end I left behind). And then I made plans with my about sister how to get into the city on that fateful Saturday morning.

Now that I’m back at work, after being tear gassed by other fellow (Malaysians) in uniform, I feel proud to have made my stand. Yet this is only the beginning. More needs to be done. If you’re not a registered voter, please take some time to go to the post office. If you are already registered, ask people around you if they have registered to exercise their rights as a Malaysian citizen. Help to spread the word that the mainstream media is hiding from people without access to actual news. Help by donating to the good people behind our fight for a fair elections. Hundreds and thousands have risked their basic rights to fight for fair elections. Some have left with bruises and bleeding heads, cuffed and beaten, another fellow Malaysian has died fighting for you and your family’s future in Malaysia.

There is no point voting if the elections are not fair. And there is no point having fair elections if not everyone (eligible to vote) is going to vote.