Once we hear the word “illegal rally” the nightmarish vision of roadblocks that cause tremendous traffic comes into mind for the average road users. This seems to be the standard operating procedure of the authorities in their reasoning that only by doing so they will be able to protect the rakyat at large from violence and danger. How far this is true, one may wonder.
Let’s take a look at a roadblock as an example. The roadblock is set right in front of a traffic light of a busy intersection famous for being congested during rush hour. A road of about 5 lanes being transformed into a single lane “miraculously” by police checkpoints. The check involved, the police just stand there and look at the motorists trying to outdo one another to move into the single lane to pass. Well, we heard about how we mild mannered Malaysians can instantly turn into road monsters in the blink of an eye once behind the wheel and wouldn’t this event spur their anger more? For us average Joe not only has to be saved from “violent demonstrators”, we have to be contented with extra-fueled-rage of road bullies as well!
It can’t be denied that the rallies sometimes do cause inconvenience to the public at large judging from the rallies we see on television happening in other countries. Most of us actually don’t know what the rallies’ objectives are all about to be frank but since the authorities are going to this length to squash the rallies, it just spark a curiosity in our mind that does this mean the authorities have something to hide from the public? Since the rally organizers did propose to hold the rally in a confined location, wouldn’t that be better since the authorities can keep them in check while not having to set up roadblocks that virtually put a siege to the city. But on a strategy side, it seems like a good idea to paint the organizers as public enemy number one for causing the massive traffic to the average Joe.
No matter what’s the reasoning for this nightmarish event, hopefully the criminals don’t get funny ideas of thinking that in future illegal rallies, they will be able to carry out their “operation” since police manpower are virtually used to the optimum at roadblocks, looking at motorists trying to out-maneuver one another to get into the moving single lane. This will be the biggest roadblock to nation development. God bless Malaysian motorists.
Let’s take a look at a roadblock as an example. The roadblock is set right in front of a traffic light of a busy intersection famous for being congested during rush hour. A road of about 5 lanes being transformed into a single lane “miraculously” by police checkpoints. The check involved, the police just stand there and look at the motorists trying to outdo one another to move into the single lane to pass. Well, we heard about how we mild mannered Malaysians can instantly turn into road monsters in the blink of an eye once behind the wheel and wouldn’t this event spur their anger more? For us average Joe not only has to be saved from “violent demonstrators”, we have to be contented with extra-fueled-rage of road bullies as well!
It can’t be denied that the rallies sometimes do cause inconvenience to the public at large judging from the rallies we see on television happening in other countries. Most of us actually don’t know what the rallies’ objectives are all about to be frank but since the authorities are going to this length to squash the rallies, it just spark a curiosity in our mind that does this mean the authorities have something to hide from the public? Since the rally organizers did propose to hold the rally in a confined location, wouldn’t that be better since the authorities can keep them in check while not having to set up roadblocks that virtually put a siege to the city. But on a strategy side, it seems like a good idea to paint the organizers as public enemy number one for causing the massive traffic to the average Joe.
No matter what’s the reasoning for this nightmarish event, hopefully the criminals don’t get funny ideas of thinking that in future illegal rallies, they will be able to carry out their “operation” since police manpower are virtually used to the optimum at roadblocks, looking at motorists trying to out-maneuver one another to get into the moving single lane. This will be the biggest roadblock to nation development. God bless Malaysian motorists.
