MARBC: More in common than differences

After returning from Sarawak election the Monday before and while still recuperating to write a comment of the concluded Sarawak Election, it was time to be back in the heat of things to help organise the 1MARBC.

The two days conference was just concluded on Sunday night and it's time to be back to my usual blogging.

Kudos to the real organisers of the event; Tony Yew, Syed Akbar, Rocky, Bigdog and others I may not know off. The rest of us were just lending a hand and pitching in here and there.

As a member involved in organising the event, I am obliged to write something about the event. But it is quite hard for me because since the early days of the blogging explosion, I haven't been writing much on the subject of blogging for quite sometime.

Kind of grown shy or "segan" for a blogger to write about blogging. It is more appropriate for others able to see it from afar to give their view. Nanti orang kata perasan dan syok sendiri pulak.

Maybe this will be an exception.

1. The establishment of an Asean social media and blogging network to promote understanding, good relations, unity and cooperation for regional betterment and progress of the new media practitioners in the spirit of mutual respect;

2. To assist in achieving and promoting the common values and aspirations of goodwill and to promote greater understanding and familiarity of the social media;

Our second and third points below expressed not only that common aspiration of the Asean bloggers but it went well also with other participants on the next day when only one blogger put his hand up to agree with Internet censorship.

3. To promote the freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom from persecution;

4. To promote ethical and responsible blogging through positive engagement;

Lastly, we agreed that we should meet more often, know each other better and engage each other better to be able to do more things together. Tak kenal maka tidak cinta. Thus:

5. To meet regularly and promote the growth and progress of social media in Asean

Interestingly, the Phillipines delegate raised something really pertinent and in-sync with my own thoughts that is second nature to Internet communities.

They are not comfortable with any form of attempt to form rigid organisational structure or any particular body to claim representatives of blogger.

That would mean the Kuala Lumpur Resolution is not something to be imposed on others and obliged upon on member countries to adopt but a resolution for each individuals to ponder, deliberate and consider.

The Kuala Lumpur Resolution made me reflect back on current happening on the Malaysian blogophere, specifically amongst the socio-political blogging and social media.

It has taken a sad turn over the last few years to become too partisan and padded with partisan agenda that the political divide seemed impossible to bridge (unlike the heydays of blogging to knock-off Tun Abdullah).

What happened to the much said words in those day to agree to disagree?

Just because they are on a political objective to conquer grounds from BN, does it mean they can't eat, drink and share a few laughs with those of differing political affiliations.

Tun Dr Mahathir attended the BUM 2009 and the "usual suspects" stayed away. By 2010, when BUM organisers attempt to have a more neutral discussion, the partisanship grew more obvious.

In one session where Zulkifli Nordin was heard to participate on the issue of Allah, every other person - politicians to activist - wanted a crack at him.

Someone in the committee or sponsor changed it from a balanced set-up to a three against one lop-sided session in favour of the Christian use of the word Allah. They think we do not notice and buy into such cheap excuses. Don't think we are too dumb not to be able to counter such cheap trick.

Such is the situation in the blogophere since these overzealous and intellectually insecure and immature dimwits start to learn of partisan affiliation. They begin to sneek only their own agenda as though the opposing views does not matter.

It as though they are the only citizen against divisiveness in society, corruption and misuse of power, curbing of freedom and human rights, concern with building a united nation, etc.

The MARBC gathering dedicated to blogging, seeking commonality and having a positive attitude of moving forward - without the presence of loud Sunday morning TV evangelist in the likes of Harris Ibrahim, sneeky self interest of Dr Lim Teck Ghee's agenda, and overzealous presence of Pakatan politicians - is indeed refreshing.

It is time we stop allowing politicians (both side of the divide) steal the bloggers meet with their convoluted spinning and hypocrasies.

Politicians should be held from the rostrum and stage at bloggers meet and be made into audience. It is time they hear and learn from the voices of bloggers aka rakyat.

For one, the rakyat are sick with excessive politicking. Fed-up, meluat and menyampah. They are supposed to administer and manage the state and country to make it better and not spending time with endless blame game.

At MARBC, we talked of blogging as something to bridge people to people in this country and region only divided by seas and straits.

Yes, we spoke of the "boring" subject of blogging (exclusively to me) but that boring subject will hopefully unite the people of Aseans despite the seas and straits that divide it.

Taking a page from MARBC, the Malaysian SOPO bloggers should realise that there is more to life and blogging, than socio-politics and their party affiliation.

Disagreement on certain viewpoints or political philosophies should not make someone into permanent enemies.

There is more in common than differences between bloggers than you can think off. It is a matter of your maturity.

Now back to the groove of things.

* Edited 8:30 AM 27/4/2011 Click Here to Read More..