The Government has made me illegal July 1, 2011

Posted by brighthought in Bersih

Apparently with all the arrests of people with yellow paraphernalia around the country, one has to ask why? The current Bersih campaign has adopted the colour yellow as it’s brand – same as how Wiffle Ball successfully trademark a primary colour of yellow for use on it’s logo and products.

Trademarking a colour is not strange – in fact it’s very common to protect one’s investment in marketing and branding but making a colour illegal is indeed tripping over the line of fair use of the law. In fact the first link that pops up when I search “illegal color” on Google was about racial segregation.

So In Malaysia, Yellow is now illegal because it is linked to a movement to reform the electoral system. The Inspector General of Police says so. In fact, he even included cars, buses and shoes.

That categorically means I’m now illegal – because I support the cause for a fair electoral reform and my name is the color yellow in Chinese “Hwang” or maybe Google can help in translating it properly.

Maybe a video can help describe the situation better. 14 people were arrested or remanded for distributing flags while wearing yellow shirts and holding a yellow banner for the “Bersih” cause. They had no ill intentions, they were not causing/threatening anyone in public. Their actions were quite jovial (ok the music helped a lot but it was still clearly a free flag distribution event). They wore yellow t-shirts in support of the “Bersih” movement to promote fair and corruption free elections. It is therefore completely puzzling why the government is completely outlawing it and asking the police for extreme enforcements for this case.





A government afraid of it’s own shadow,

afraid to put it’s head to rest on it’s own pillow,

afraid of the peaceful group in yellow,

is terrified of what awaits them tomorrow.

The voters say, time for reform is here.

Is it to late for our old dear Lear