How To Make Things Worse

“How to turn a small protest into a worldwide incident that will be reported on CNN and BBC?”

If there is a lecture like that in any political studies course in any part of the world, the professor in charge will use the Malaysian government as the prime example of how to turn a small protest into a worldwide incident.

During the weekend, opposition parties and non-government groups had a rally in the capital Kuala Lumper which was broken up by the police. Tear gas was used and over 1,600 people were arrested. The Malaysian government is now under heavy criticism for “over-reacting” to a peaceful rally and even popular Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak has come under criticism for the crackdown.

Now the Malaysian authorities had dismissed the criticism, but it’s not helping their cause when members of the Malaysian establishment are joining in the criticism. The main reason is that days before the rally, when tension was at its highest, the King of Malaysia broker a deal between the Malaysian government and the opposition groups. Under the deal, the opposition would have their rally but only at a stadium. This deal greatly defused tension and it looked like the storm had passed. However, under pressure from his own party, Prime Minister Najib broke off the deal and ban the rally altogether.

Quite expectantly, the opposition groups ignored the ban and held the rally anyway. Only they did the rally in the streets, not at any stadium. This led to the crackdown during the weekend which was reported by news agencies throughout the world.

Talk about making things worse for yourself!