Unprecedented. We heard this word being used to describe Malaysian Airlines twice this year. And in both events, the word was used to describe unprecedented event. In #MH370, the plane was taken off course and flew into the South Indian Ocean, a largely uncharted sea where the waves can reach as high as 50 metres all of the sudden. Till today, we still do not know what had happened to the plane, and what happened to the missing plane is unprecedented in this modern era where even our hand phone has GPS system to point out our location. In #MH17, the plane was flying on a predetermined, pre-approved course at a height presumed to be safe. But it was a wrong presumption. A conflict zone lies in the path between 2 belligerent nations and their proxies. As the fight was mostly was considered a low intensity war, and is a classical asymmetrical warfare with one non-state actor (with known support from a world super power) against a full fledged nation backed by another superpower, no one would have thought that one of the parties involved would be having a medium-range anti aircraft surface-to-air missile launcher. Civilian passenger aircraft had been shot down before in history. But never from a non-state belligerent. Thus, the incident is unprecedented. So unprecedented that other planes flying in that sector had to be redirected immediately after the loss was discovered. Unprecedented. A very strong word. In a single year, our national carrier lost two jumbo jets (Boeing 777). And in Sabah, we have a credible threat from Sulu terrorists led by the infamous Nur Misuari. 57 years of independence will mean nothing if we continue to play politics, regardless if it is politics of colours, race, religion or creed. It is time for each and every one of us to drop these bullshit that we smear on each others face, and pull our own shit together to be united behind the Prime Minister. And for once, former US presidents George Bush (the son, not the father) seems apt, either you are with us, or you are with them. Proud to be a Malaysian.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 09:55:39 +0000
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