A relay for thought

As published in The Sun

 

Dear Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Tuanku Ja’afar, President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia,

 

My heartiest congratulations to you, and the Council, on your success in organising the Olympic 2008 torch relay in Kuala Lumpur recently.

 

Unlike many who could not escape from work to witness the historic run, I was privileged to be part of the large, excited crowd in Bukit Bintang. I got to see the torch close up, and got a free Lenovo hand fan too!

 

The atmosphere was very festive with the crowd singing Mandarin songs and chanting Mandarin slogans. And I must say, I’ve never seen such a concentration of red t-shirts and Chinese flags my life!

 

Phew, good thing we didn’t decide to have the encierro (Spanish bull run) on the same day!

 

I regretted not wearing my Jalur Gemilang bandana. It would really help tourists and foreign journalists who caught pictures of my head remember where their pictures were taken.

 

Standing in the midst of all that redness reminded me of Kuala Lumpur not too long ago, when people gathered wearing popcorn coloured t-shirts. What a controversy those people created, for gathering in town without a police permit.

 

I then got worried about the Olympic torch relay, also because many in the crowd were carrying placards with “One China Forever” written on them. Oh dear, did they mean that to include Bukit Bintang too?

 

So I went home and called Bukit Aman. A sergeant from the Pusat Kawal Malaysia assured me that the flag bearers and slogan chanters were all part of the official event. And that they were Malaysians, so I needn’t worry.

 

He reminded me that the Olympics was a sporting event, and non-political. Because of that, and since the event was organised by the Olympic Council of Malaysia, no police permit was needed.

 

The event went well although AP reported a Japanese family was jeered and thumped with inflatable batons. The BBC showed a similar scene on television when a pro-Tibet mat salleh woman was being interviewed on-site.

 

Oh, but we can never really trust the foreign media. Not even when they have us on tape.

 

After speaking to the sergeant, a great idea came to mind!

 

The Council and the Ministry of Youth and Sport should sign an MoU and declare thinking as a sport for Malaysian university students.

 

After that, perhaps organise a run around Kuala Lumpur? One like the recent Olympic 2008 torch relay, except instead of a torch we carry a giant light bulb papier mache instead — made out of recycled paper, of course. It will symbolise thought!

 

Based on the sergeant’s report, we wouldn’t need a police permit. And since the Ministry is involved, I wouldn’t worry too much about the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) being enforced. We could even ask the Minister to cut a ribbon!

 

I’d understand if the Council is concerned about the UUCA. I’m sure many young Malaysians fear it more than you. Perhaps roping in Rakan Muda would help, and an endorsement from the Ministry of Higher Education?

 

The only thing left then is to organise Rela and traffic police for security, and oh, the mass produced matching t-shirts.

 

Please, do consider this idea. At least before the next Olympics in 2012 when a torch relay in Kuala Lumpur would see the Union Jack – after 55 years – be raised all over our city again.