SOME DO'S AND DON'TS BEFORE THE RALLY

The show of might vs unarmed protesters who only want clean and fair elections.  What's so wrong about that? (Front page of the Star 9 July)

 * Things you need to bring / prepare *

1. MyKad, driver's license, one ATM card only.

2. Maximum RM100 only.

3. Appropriate clothing, pants, T-shirt / shirt color yellow, preferably with Bersih 2.0 logo

4. MUST wear shoes.

5. Accessories – campaign buttons, caps, arm bands, small flags, banners and placard that has the logo “Clean Elections”.

6. The Malaysia flag or the respective state flags.

7. Mineral water, some snacks and sweets.

8. A bit of salt. It is important to eat a little (not rub the face) for the return of energy, especially if the water from the Water Police Canon spray or tear gas hurts your eyes.

9. Toothpaste to apply under the eyes to reduce the effects of tear gas.

10. Wet cloth to cover the eyes and nose to avoid the tear gas.

11. Wear surgical masks * N100 Respirators, N95 Respirators * and * Surgical facemask * to avoid inhalation of excessive tear gas.

12. If you have asthma or allergies please bring your own inhalers or medication.

13. Please bring a small garbage bag to avoid littering everywhere.

14. Bring pen and paper (mini note pad) to record the name and number of any policeman who manhandles you.

15. Bring camera, video cam or phone camera to record the situation. Pictures or video clips can be sent to us after the assembly. Email them to the Secretary Bersih 2.0.

16. Bring plastic bags to store your electronic devices when attacked by a "water cannon".

Bersih rally in 2007

* What is not allowed *

1. Don’t carry your student matriculation card or your staff pass.

2. Don’t carry too much money or credit cards.

3. Don’t wear sandals or high heels.

4. Don’t carry any banner, placard, flag that has nothing to do with the demands of Bersih 2.0.

5. Don’t bring any sharp objects except a pen.

6. Don’t bring materials that can be explosive or flammable, such as matches, molotov cocktails and firecrackers.

7. Don’t carry any weapons whether real or toys, such as sticks, iron bars, and firearms.

12.Don’t bring children aged 10 years and below to avoid any problems.


* Things you need to do before assembly *

1.Check the necessary equipment to carry.

2.Don’t eat or drink too much before the rally.

3.Pray before entering the assembly, according to your religion.

4.Lock the house and leave important messages for the family or neighbours.

5. Inform them of your plans.

6. Inform your friends and have their contact numbers with you.

7. Remember to charge your mobile phone and camera batteries.

8. Know the direction to Merdeka Stadium.

9. Be sure to come early to avoid traffic jams and long queues at ticket counters.

10.Come in groups, not alone.

If you are prevented from entering the city center you can park and walk to the stadium. For more guidelines, click here.

In case of emergency and arrest, call BERSIH HOTLINE 013-2102002 or Legal Aid O3-26913005 or 03-55107007. A lawyer will provide assistance.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IF ARRESTED

For those of you planning to attend the rally on 9 July, do view the videos below before you head for Stadium Merdeka. They were taken at a training workshop conducted by Lawyers for Liberty.

ONWARD TO STADIUM MERDEKA 9 JULY

We gave our word to His Majesty.

We will honour our word.

Even if Najib and his administration will not honour theirs.

We have come to expect little else from them.

See you all at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm, Saturday, 9th July, 2011.

Come in yellow.

Come in any colour.

All colours are yours.

As is this nation.

Hidup Rakyat

(From The People's Parliament)

JOM, JOIN THE BIG WALK TO THE STADIUM THIS SATURDAY


So the Bersih 2.0 street rally scheduled for this Saturday has been called off. The PM has given his blessing for the rally to be held at a stadium instead.

In black and white - the PM's invitation to protest as loud as we want,. (The Star 5 July)

Fence-sitters, curious bystanders and foreign tourists can now join Bersih's supporters in the "Walk for Democracy". Come Saturday, hundreds of thousands will be alighting from buses, trains and cars and making their way peacefully along the city streets to the stadium just as the PM has told them to. "Go on - assemble in the stadium, and yell until you're hoarse. Do it. It's okay, it's not a problem."

Thank you, PM. You can be sure the voice of the people will be heard on that day, loud and clear, and without fear.

Bersih couldn't have asked for a better solution than this to end the impasse. Datuk Ambiga must be wiping the sweat off her brow with relief. She hasn't looked this happy in a long time.

Join the biggest walkathon in the country this 9 July. It will be history in the making.

YELLOW - THE COLOUR OF COURAGE

Last Thursday at a seminar on "Content Monitoring 2011", the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) directed all mainstream media (MSM) not to give prominence to reports on Bersih and pro-Bersih groups. They were also told to refer to the Bersih 2.0 rally as an "illegal rally". To ensure their directives were adhered to, all radio and TV broadcasters were required to submit a daily report providing details of their coverage on the rally.

(Front page of The Star on Saturday). How deceptive! While the police are carrying out a nationwide crackdown on pro-Bersih 2.0 gatherings and arresting the organizers, the MSM would have us believe that everything is hunky-dory in the country.

Proof that the MSM were abiding by MCMC's orders came the very next day. After two weeks of the Bersih 2.0 rally hogging the front pages, the Saturday papers made scant mention of the rally or of the nationwide arrests that are continuing on a daily basis. Instead, there was increased coverage on anti-Bersih rallies and on government warnings against supporting the July 9 rally.

Anti-opposition rallies are not only allowed, but also highlighted in the MSM.

Bersih has been declared illegal by the Home Minister. The reason? The ROS says Bersih has contravened the Societies Act 1966. But why should Bersih seek registration when it is only a coalition of 60+ NGOs that are already registered? And would ROS accept Bersih's application if it were to apply? I think not.

Sales of Bersih 2.0 tees have skyrocketed since the ban. They have now become a collector's item.

Bersih's yellow T-shirt has also been declared illegal by the Home Minister. Isn't that an infringement on our civil rights to wear what we please? What if people choose to wear yellow T-shirts that say 'We want CLEAN and FAIR elections' or 'We reject DIRTY elections'? Would they be arrested too?


Why is the government not going after Perkasa and Umno Youth? Their rallies to be held on the same day as Bersih 2.0 have also been declared illegal by the Home Ministry. 

How come the government has not clamped down hard on Perkasa and Umno Youth as it has with Bersih? After all, the Home Ministry has also declared Perkasa's "Gerak Aman" rally illegal. There is no ban on their supporters' red T-shirts. Why this bias? Bersih has listed their eight demands as the reason for their 9 July rally. Perkasa's only motive for their rally is to protest against Bersih's rally. Can we infer from this that Perkasa opposes clean elections?

Bersih rally in 2007. (Photo: The Sun)

Why is the government so terribly afraid of a rally that hasn't even taken place that it's doing everything it can to prevent it from happening?  If the Bersih rally in 2007 is anything to go by, the government is prepared to bring out the FRU in full force with their anti-riot armoury of truncheons, tear-gas and water cannons. All this show of might to intimidate unarmed citizens. 

You can be arrested for wearing a plain yellow T-shirt, and for distributing miniature national flags!

Instead of responding to each of Bersih's eight demands, the government is only concerned about the demands related to the coming elections. It uses the same old argument to refute these demands, which is, if elections were not clean, how could the opposition have won five states in 2008? Well, if the elections were truly clean, who knows perhaps the opposition could have won more seats and formed the government? Take the recent Sarawak elections as an example. Evidence of election fraud and malpractices are on YouTube and in the new media for the world to see.

The government has yet to address Bersih's other demands. For instance, what has it to say with regards to Bersih's demand to stop corruption and strengthen public institutions? As for the demand for a free and fair media, we know that the media has already been given orders not to show any TV news footage or print coverage of police using violence on protestors on 9 July. "Instead the news should highlight the difficulties and inconvenience caused by the rally to the people, as well as scenes of protesters heckling, public property being vandalised and massive traffic congestion." (Source: Malaysia Chronicle)

What started off as a rally for clean elections has now morphed into a civil rights movement that is gaining momentum. The harder the crackdown, the louder the cry for democratic reforms. It is not the rakyat but the government and their use of strong-arm tactics that is giving the country a negative image.

Should the government succeed in stopping the rally on 9 July through intimidation and suppression, the people still have the power of the vote. Unless of course, the coming elections are rigged. Which is precisely why Bersih is calling for clean and fair elections in the first place.

Come next Saturday 9 July, the city and other major towns will be swathed in a sea of yellow - the new colour of courage.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES THAT MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR SENIORS

If you haven't heard of the term GERONTECHNOLOGY, neither have I till quite recently. It refers to technology and research into products and services designed to improve the quality of life for older adults.

One of the many applications of gerontechnology is the designing of devices and equipment to assist people who face challenges as a result of declining capabilities due to ageing.

Most of the healthcare retailers that I've been to offer the usual items like wheelchairs, commodes, walkers and measuring devices. I have yet to come across devices that help make everyday tasks like dressing and cooking easier for elderly folks, more so if they have poor vision or suffer from stroke, arthritis, Parkinson's or are going through post-surgery rehabilitation.

With more and more young people (that's our children) studying or working away from their hometown, who will be there to care for their parents (that's you and me!) in their old age? Assistive devices will go a long way in providing the support needed for seniors to live independently.

Here are some products that I would love to have on my To-Buy list for my mom.

If you have come across any of these products or know where to buy these items, do contact Seniorsaloud so we can share the information with other seniors who might be interested.

Do drop by at the APHM Healthcare Exhibition at KL Convention Centre this weekend. You might find some assistive products that might be just the item you have been looking for. Click here for more information about the event.

For more on assistive devices and disability products, click on these links:

Disability Products

The Able Studio

Lifeline

Ezzy Riders



WHO'S LOOKING INTO THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA??

Consider these statistics:

By 2050,
~ The number of persons in the world aged 60 years or older is expected to almost triple.
~ In developed countries, there will be two elderly persons for every child.
~ In developing countries, the proportion of the older population is expected to rise to about 20%.
~ The number of 'oldest-old' people, those who are 80 years old or over, will increase from 86 million in 2005 to 402million. Most of them will live in the developing world.
(Source: UN Population Division)

The UN categorizes any nation with 10% of its population aged 60 and above as an ageing nation. Going by this definition, Malaysia will reach ageing nation status by 2035 when a projected 15% of the population will be aged 60 and above. That's less than 25 years away. How is the country preparing to cope with the increase in this demographic group? Do we have the necessary systems and structures in place to meet the needs and demands of an ageing society?

Lifelong learning programme of activities for senior citizens.

A look at our neighbouring country Singapore tells us that we are, as usual, lagging far behind. The island nation has a Minister in charge of Ageing Issues in the Prime Minister's Department. There's the Council for Third Age that promotes healthy and active ageing. It organizes the annual 50plus Expo and Active Ageing Carnival. There are dedicated NGOs that are looking after the concerns of the elderly, like the Tsao Foundation and the Centre for Seniors.

Clementi Community Centre, Singapore

The Ministry of Health's website shows a comprehensive list of hospitals, as well as residential and community healthcare services available to the elderly.  The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports offers financial assistance to those unable to support themselves, including the aged. The Ministry of Manpower has a special portal just to address the issue of re-employment of older employees.

There are policies in place to help the elderly like the Maintenance of Parents Act. The >60 Design Centre is Singapore's National Design Centre for Ageing. It was set up in 2008 to generate products and services to improve the lifestyle of older adults. The Housing and Development Board is committed to providing suitable and affordable housing for Singaporeans aged 55 and above. Every community centre in the republic has a programme of activities for senior citizens. The facilities at these centres are well maintained.

Former Singapore PMs Goh Chock Tong (left) and Lee Kuan Yew.

There is no lack of excellent role models of successful ageing in the country, and this includes former PMs Lee Kuan Yew, 87, and Goh Chock Tong, 69. LKY is well-known for his tips on how to live a long and healthy life.

The point of highlighting Singapore's initiatives in meeting the needs of the elderly is to provide a blueprint for our government to get started on preparing for Malaysia's ageing population. What has it done so far? Almost nothing that comes close to the Singapore government's all-out efforts.

Community Centre in Petaling Jaya in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur

From what I've seen, the majority of our community centres are run-down with barely any decent facilities to speak of. The senior citizens' associations offer little more than line dance, karaoke and taichi classes. The National Council of Senior Citizens' Association (NACSCOM) has a website that has not been updated since 2008 as far as membership is concerned. There's hardly any content worth reading on the site.

An old folks home in KL - counting the days.

The same applies to most of the government websites. The Ministry of Health's official website is an embarrassment, while that of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is a joke. Why do government websites require visitors to sign in? Elderly concerns come under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. The page devoted to 'senior citizens' on their website can do with more informative content.

As for role models, I don't recall any of our former PMs taking the lead in implementing policies to raise the quality of life for senior citizens. During his 32-year tenure as PM, Dr Mahathir, 86, could have easily been the perfect inspiration of successful ageing, but he preferred to devote his energies to other areas of more importance than old people who are considered unproductive and contribute little to the economy.

There are people who will come to the defence of  Malaysia. They say it's not fair to compare Singapore, a tiny nation of 5 million people with Malaysia which has a population of 28 million. Ok then, let's compare Singapore and the Greater Klang Valley, or only the greying population of the two countries. Whichever yardstick we choose, Malaysia still comes up short.

Senior citizens queuing up to register for the special discount card for travel on RapidKL buses.

There's so much that needs to be done to prepare the country before it reaches ageing status. The clock is ticking away. In the meantime, the elderly continues to be neglected. There's no sustainable policy, plan or programme to cater to the physical, financial and emotional needs of the aged. Whenever the Budget is announced, there's is only token allocation for the elderly. We have token visits to old folks homes, token donations, token ceremonies and token assistance. Mostly for publicity purposes, to give a token impression of the work being done for the warga emas of this country.

What can we do to make the government take notice of us? Take to the streets in a peaceful demonstration?