Mahathir beware Social Media Lessons Egyptian Revolution offers real lessons

Revolution 2.0, former Google Marketer Wael Ghonim's brisk, first person account of the Egyptian Revolution offers real lessons that online community managers of any brand or organization should learn. Ghonim was the administrator and creative director of the 'Kullena Khaled Said' Facebook Page, easily the largest opposition social media page during the uprising. Now it's true that most of us aren't trying to topple a repressive regime (many of us are trying to sell laundry detergent) but we should manage our social networks with all the energy of a high stakes, historic cause.

What did Ghonim do to foster online engagement that eventually contributed to real, on the streets, offline action? It's simple really. He spoke, users listened and responded, and then he acknowledged their contributions. Here are a handful of takeaways other digital marketers can learn from his work.

1. Choose A Channel -- Ghonim knew social media and picked Facebook because it had the audience he needed in Egypt. While cross-channel integration is vital to many large brands, understanding your audience, staffing concerns and desired engagement may reveal one channel as more desirable to focus on.

2. Staff Appropriately -- Ghonim knew that he couldn't work on his Page full time, so he brought on volunteers who were well-trained in the right voice to provide backup. This kept the Page humming when he was at conferences or being held without trial at the state police station. His moderators never stopped updating the page and keeping users engaged and motivated.

3. Engage Constantly -- You've picked the right channel and assembled the right staff, so it's time engage. Far too many Pages make the mistake of posting great content, but not interacting with their audience. Ghonim and his team spent hours on the page each day, replying to comments and contributing to conversations. This goes a long way in building a real community of users who recognize and respect each other.

4. Create Feedback Loops - One of the most effective things Ghonim did on his Page was to ask questions and then surface answers from the community. He'd highlight responses that articulated the themes they were pushing, which made users feel like they were really a part of the Page, not just members. He'd also post request for creative -- designs, images, poems- and amplify the best ones to all members. In doing this, he succeeded in creating a community that felt very connected to each other.

5. Provide Plenty Of Actions -- The page was originally started as a response to a specific instance of police brutality, not to spur a revolution. Before the revolution was even an idea, he'd ask users to change their profile pictures, share the page, participate in surveys that dictated the direction of the page. He created smaller events that got users out and participating in respectful acts of civil disobedience. When the time came for a much larger campaign, to oust the Pharaoh, the page was full of users who now connected with each other as people, and were ready to organize something at a much larger scale.

Certainly there are more community organizing lessons (offline and on) to learn across The Arab Spring. Ghonim's book isn't even a first draft of that history, which remains to be written. But, since he came from a digital marketing background, it could be one of the better resources for us to learn how digital media can create change -- from what soap you choose to the president you vote for. We're lucky a true revolutionary let us in on his secrets. Now it's time to use them

How can we have a clean government when we do not have clean elections? Hanya pilihanraya bersih boleh memastikan sebuah kerajaan bersih. The next government should be decided by Malaysians and not by phantom voters or Bangladeshis or Myanmarese. Saya percaya kita mahu rakyat Malaysia dan bukan pengundi hantu atau rakyat asing yang menentukan siapa menang kalah dalam pilihanraya umum ke-13.

We do not want our children to live in fear of oppressive laws as we have lived. A Pakatan Rakyat government will abolish the UUCA, the Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act and restore local government elections.

Kita tidak boleh menerima penyalahgunaan kuasa dimana rakyat Malaysia boleh mati dalam tahanan.

When can we find justice for Teoh Beng Hock, Ahmad Sarbani and A Kugan? When will we have Freedom of Information & Freedom of Speech? When can we have justice that is not only done, but is seen to be done.

To put the past behind us, we demand good governance and performance from our ministers

Malaysia can be an international and intelligent country. We must have digital intelligence with broadband connectivity. We must also have integrity intelligence, so ensure that only honest people are the decision-makers. We must have institutional intelligence under the rule of law. We demand good governance and performance from our ministers.

Has the Transport Ministry done its duty to run our airports and seaports well? Look at the Penang International Airport whose completion has been delayed more than 3 times. And the Penang Port is to be reduced to be a feeder port and privatized to a 3rd party at the expense of Penangites. Why is there no consultation with the people of Penang to restore the port to its former glory? Instead of looking after airports and ports, the Transport Ministry is more interested in vehicle registration numbers and wants to increase the maximum traffic fines to RM2,000.

Director-General of Tourism is wrongly charged of corruption but the Tourism Minister finds nothing wrong with spending RM1.8 million in doing up her Facebook page, when we all know that it can be done for free.

The Health Ministry wants to privatise healthcare when it should be a public good given as an affordable right to all Malaysians. Why allow the wastage of public funds and affect the quality and affordability of drugs when drugs are bought through a middleman at higher prices when it could be bought cheaper direct from the manufacturers, some of which are operating in Malaysia.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry opposes local government elections in Penang, denying our fundamental democratic right to elect our councillors and our mayors.

We believe that Malaysians deserve better. For the last 50 years, the wealth of the nation has been robbed. Let us protect the future of our children by ensuring we have a people-centric government that protects you instead of harming you, that rewards you instead of stealing from you, that respects you instead of abusing your rights. Let us clean up Malaysia to save our children’s future.

We must put the past behind us where profits matters more than our health. Lynas concerns all of us because if Lynas is allowed to operate, Barisan Nasional will proceed with building two nuclear reactors. If we continue to put health above profits, what is the use of having all the money in the world if you cannot enjoy it healthily?

The next elections shall be fought on the economy. We refuse to allow BN to use race as the issue in the next elections. We need to increase the incomes of our poor or else they will fall victims to the Ah Longs. For example, Bank Negara’s Annual Report 2010 revealed that Malaysia’s household debt at the end of 2010 was RM581 billion or 76 per cent of GDP, thus giving us the dubious honour of having the second-highest level of household debt in Asia.

In addition, the Malaysian household debt service ratio stood at 47.8 per cent in 2010, meaning that nearly half of the average family’s income goes to repaying debts. As a rule, banks would not lend money to those whose total servicing of loans exceeded one third of their income. In other words, we are spiralling into an indebted nation.

According to the New Economic Model documents, the bottom 40% of Malaysian households are living with a monthly average income of RM1,500 (and three-quarters of them are bumiputera) while 60% of the households (of four persons averagely) live with a less than RM3,000 income, which is near subsistence if one lives in the cities.

These are families living in fear. We will help them live with dignity and not in fear, by increasing their incomes and cutting down their costs, with a minimum wage, getting rid of monopolies, expanding internet connectivity and encouraging creativity, innovation and productivity.

South Korea is a very good example of a nation that chose democracy, performance and freedom of opportunity to become a developed country. With a population of 48 million, its GDP per capita of USD20,000 is more than double Malaysia’s. But in 1970, South Korea’s per capita GDP was only USD260 compared to Malaysia’s USD380 we used to regularly beat South Korea at football. And now our children are fans of K-pop culture and their football team are regulars at the World Cup.

Only when we free ourselves of fear of change, can we be free to prosper. BN cannot change. They need to be changed, for BN wants to rule by fear.

Thomas Jefferson has said “When the governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny”.

The choice is yours, my friends. I urge you – Let us change so we can have liberty and live with dignity.

Every Malaysian has, in their daily activities, had dealings with Macom Bhd., the company which flourished under the tenure of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Even foreign investors have been involved in transactions with Macom. Just in case you’re not aware, Macom stands for ‘Makan Commission’.

At some point in the past, our integrity was compromised. Umno and to a large extent, Mahathir, were responsible. Umno Baru was created to keep the Malays ignorant and stupid (Melayu di perbodohkan), as Mahathir might say.

It is a story which has been told repeatedly. The Malays, under Mahathir, became rich beyond their wildest dreams. In one generation, the Malays and their values were compromised. The non-Malays are not blameless, especially the ones who played along with Macom.

The people who control Macom don’t want things to change. The Malay who prefers to keep quiet and not rock the boat, is preferable to one who makes his government and leaders accountable for their every action.

During Mahathir’s time, it is alleged that one Malay lawyer, who sold a listed company which was owned by an Umno crony, received RM10 million in commission. It is also alleged that bank managers, who earned good money, would resign to become remisiers and make fortunes from insider trading.

In those days, teachers took their responsibilities seriously because they wanted to provide their charges with a sound education. Many helped finance, with their own money, the poor children who could not afford pencils and exercise books. Nowadays, teachers are more interested if the contents of the students’ tuck-boxes, in case they contain haram food that will upset the sensibilities of the “Umno Muslims”.

Today, the Malay is but a shadow of his former self. He brandishes his kris, knows not what he is talking about and is more suited for a role in drama. He champions violence in the name of Malay supremacy.

He talks about the sanctity of the Malay race and Islam, but when he is abroad, he is the devil incarnate. He says nothing about corruption, but gets angry about yoga or the poco-poco dance. He is holier than thou and at the thought of PAS making inroads into any state, the Umno man declares that hudud law is good and that Umno will implement it first. The first cut is the deepest and who in Umno will get the first punishment under hudud, for stealing from the rakyat?

The ‘Chinaman’ who built a textile empire can still be found stitching away, despite his success.

The first to flounder

He does not go out and buy fast cars. When the economic bubble burst, the ‘Chinaman’ scaled down his trade, but the Macom men went out of business. The Macom men were the first to flounder because they did not build their wealth on a bedrock of hard work and perseverance.

Recently, a few people have spoken up against the injustice and wrongdoings of the past.

Former EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman claimed that in the 2008 election, he was criticised for not using indelible ink to stop multiple voting because of security concerns. This prompted Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz to confess that he had blocked the use of the ink.

Former minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik in an interview with The Edge was cynical about Najib: “I give up lah, talking to this government,” and added, “Politicians who think they can become rich quickly by joining politics should be condemned and kept out of politics and government.”

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said that the government had paid inflated prices for the procurement of weapons and described it as buying toys for the boys. Meanwhile, former deputy minister Tan Kee Kwong Tan criticised Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for “single-handedly destroying” Felda’s prudent management, siphoning off its wealth and misleading both parliament and the public.

Mohamed Rahmat, the late information minister, admitted that he was more of a ‘propaganda minister’ tasked with toppling the Kelantan PAS government in 1977. Former minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said that BN used government agencies to court rural votes and resorted to bribery during elections.

Why did they wait until now, to speak up?

Why are there are so few men of character and integrity like student Adam Adli, Professor Aziz Bari and cartoonist Zunar who are prepared to shatter the myth of the comatose Malay and speak up. They faced arrest, persecution and suspension.

Despite being pestered by two Umno datuks behind the cheap publicity stunt involving the cartoonists recently, Zunar (left) rejected his award and RM10,000 prize money.

Ambiga Sreenevasan has risked her life to bring hope and change to Malaysians in the form of clean, free and fair elections. Najib says it is “not our political culture to debate”, then is the sight of Malay men showing off their butts, part of Malay culture?

Many performers who have openly supported the opposition, like Hairie Othman, Aishah, Dayangku Intan and Bob Lokman, have found that they no longer get exposure on RTM or government events. In contrast it is alleged that artists like Jamal Abdillah, Amy Search and Ibnor Riza, are rewarded with RM10,000 each and every time they declare their support for Umno.

Annie Ooi, better known as Auntie Bersih is another of the courageous women of Malaysia. We all remember the picture of her, drenched with chemically laced water in the Bersih 2.0 march. She wants an end to corruption and injustice like another of her fellow Malaysians, Irene Fernandez, who for giving a voice to migrant workers, was charged with sedition.

A few with guts

Even in BN, there are a few with guts. Kian Sit Har, the Malacca MCA Wanita chief, attended the Bersih 3.0 march and declared, “As a responsible citizen, I support two issues highlighted at the gathering, namely eradicating corruption and for the coming general election to be fair and clean.” For this act of treachery, she was told to resign by Ali Rustam, the Malacca Chief Minister.

These men and women are to be commended for they have inspired others with their bravery and their sacrifices.

The culture of fear which Mahathir bred and which Najib has promulgated has encouraged two things; thugs who use violence to get their own way, and people who are too afraid to speak.

How much longer should we tolerate the “cari makan” excuse that these men used, to justify their silence in the past? Perhaps, we should overlook their reasons waiting until now to speak out and encourage more to come out in the open. Umno cannot thrive when all of its secrets are exposed.