WTF is #BudiBicaraTJ & #BudiBicaraTwtup ?

#BudiBicaraTJ #BudiBicaraTwtup

So I noticed this hashtag being posted over and over again these past few days - Budi Bicara WHAT?????

So after doing some digging, I found out who are behind this gig (Not gonna tell who they are - you gotta attend to find out!), got them to clear the air what it is all about, and now, I present to you the abridged version of that long explanation.

#Budibicara Twitterjaya is not in any way trying to regulate how one should tweet. Heck, if that's what they're promoting, I'd be the first one to stand against it. I tweet lots of stuff which can never, under any circumstances, be considered polite wei! It's my freedom to do so.

But are #BudiBicaraTJ and #BudiBicaraTwtup trying to play big brother on me, telling how should I and how I should not tweet? Far from that.

Basically (rolled your tongue, spoke like a Yindian when you read that, didn't ya?) it's more of a movement promoting responsible tweeting amongst citizens of Twitter Jaya. They aim to encourage the awareness of being a responsible Tweep, and most of all, learn the importance of being accountable for info one posts (and help spread) online (social media, blogs etc).

So how do you define responsible tweeting?

I think it's easier to define what an irresponsible tweet is. Mirror that and voila! According to these fellas, an irresponsible tweet constitutes tweets that spread malicious, unbacked, poorly researched, baseless pieces of information that in turn, possibly can be used to ridicule, defame, and worse, prosecute someone of stuff (worse, crimes or actions) they have never committed in the first place. In short, this movement (if you want to call it that) is against rampant spread of misinformation and the proliferation of baseless public prosecution - moreover in Malaysia, we like to pass on judgment on a whim.

But it happens every day! Look at Buletin Utama on TV3! Most of the stuff they report are hogwash too! Why kecoh about Twitter?

True. But unlike the news where people who actually watch them really do believe what is said, and is a bit trickier to spread what they saw on TV, Twitter (and Social Media as a whole) are much more efficient avenues to spread information, in a short period of time.

With a simple click of the RT button, a LIKE, and copy-pasting of URLs, a malicious tweet, posting or blog entry can spread around - and made even easier considering us Malaysians are that kepohchi when it comes to gossip. Yes. We are that kecoh. 80% f Malaysians probably watch Melodi on weekends. The outcome? Not pretty.

Example? Remember that 'Sitt Alwazura expose' by them Gaysec bunch, accusing innocent individuals as being the person behind the controversial tweets/ postings that are offensive against Islam?

To most Malaysians in cyberspace, whether the findings were true or not, it's not important. We love gossip, and we love spreading it.

Eh. Kalau awak tu dedahkan siapa Sitt Alwazura, confirm masuk syurga ke?

My timeline was flooded with the retweets and chatter of Gaysec's 'findings', concluded from a shoddy Googling (so much for detective work!) and above average imagination. Even prominent, self proclaimed 'retis twitter' retweeted the 'information' to their huge number followers who as it is were on a witch hunt, baying for blood and looking for for a scapegoat. (really kids? nak fast track to heaven?)

Outcome? Threats of physical harm and even death threats were directed at these innocent people and what happens at the end of the day? Nothing. Gaysec remained anonymous, and the case was swept under the rug. Who's the biggest culprit here?

Gaysec? Heck no. What separates Gaysec from the lousy investigative reporters out there, whose findings went unpublished due to too many holes in their research is that their (Gaysec) medium of choice, instead of print media, was the internet. Anyone can be conspiracy theorists.

The biggest offenders are those who retweeted such information without even checking the validity of it. What if it's you're the one wrongly accused, and the results of the findings were totally false yet your image is now tarnished just because a few irresponsible tweets and retweets? Think about it.

A second agenda of #BudiBicaraTJ is to address the (for lack of a ter word), 'ethics' in mudslinging (eh ada ka?) and political rhetoric, amongst cybertroopers of political parties (both sides aye, the #budiBicaraTJ / #budibicaraTwtup is on neutral ground here).

We all read various kinds of them online jabs, off-color tweets involving all sides, some involved attacking one Chief Minister's kid, some about another guy's sexual preference (eventhough after he was acquitted by the court), specifically targeting a family member of the politician, while others are just plain nasty, racist and vile. Come on man. Why la always wanna hit below the belt kan?

You probably read stuff from RPK, KJ, Tun Faisal, Hisham Rais, Tian Chua, Tony Phua, papagomo and parpukari (to name a few) whose tweets, blog posts and comments that are more often than not, were found to be baseless in the end. Oh if only these guys can work out some constructive talk instead of slinging crap over to the other side?

So what is this #BudiBicaraTJ / #BudiBicaraTwtup gang gonna do to address this issue?

They've organized a tweetup and have (so far) roped in five speakers, all heavyweights (not literally) in the local social media scene and they are going to discuss about issues pertaining to social media ethics - and you guys get to quiz these keyboard warriors in real life too! SWEET!

Not sure whether it's gonna take place but wouldn't it be nice to see cybertroopers from both sides meet face to face, and square off (on the microphone, not in MMA gloves - although I wont mind seeing that take place. heheh!).

Anyone who wants to state a personal point pertaining to the topic are able to submit their details to budibicaratj@gmail.com , and you might get to be a warrior on the mike too! The stage is yours!

The gig is on the 19th (Thursday) January 2012, at NZ KLCC( I have no idea where it is. Google! Dont worry. They're not on blackout), 2100hrs - that's 9p.m.

Sold? Apparently these fellas already confirmed their attendance to the #BudiBicaraTwtup

1. Datuk Saifuddin @saifuddinabd

2. Dato� Rahman Dahlan @mpkotabelud

3. Tun Faisal @tunfaisal (yep)

4. Hishamuddin Rais @IshamRais (oh...sparks will fly!)

5. ZainHD @ZainHD

6. Fahmi Fadzil @fahmi_fadzil (oh he knows a lot about responsible tweeting and accountability!)

7. Eekmal Ahmad @eekmalahmad

8. You guys lorr!

OK. That's a long post. And I'm not even paid for this. Abridged konon. okok. Extended abridged version. Happy?

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2:42 AM | 0 comments

Malaysia football on the up? MEH.

As I write this, Malaysia just defeated Indonesia in a SEA Games football group match, which means they have booked a place in the semis. Just another step to defend their title I'd say. Another step to wait for it...... World Cup - most of Malaysian fans would reply.

Malaysia fans, being err.... Malaysians, are having a good time, taking a piss at our neighbors who prior to the match, weren't much of a sport anyway.

Come on. Calling us Malingsia? Not cool. Anyway, I'm here not to talk about Indonesians (who are actually totally sore losers). I only know a few personally and they are a nice lot (pretty girls too!). Probably because they don't give much shit into football.

I'm here to talk about Malaysian football team and its fans, and how, to a certain extent, we are not much different than the English when it comes to supporting our national team.

I read somewhere on Twitter where a friend compared the Malaysia-Indonesia rivalry to the English-German thing in Europe, with Malaysia being, due to high influence of the colonial times and exposure to the BPL, England. Correct comparison? Possibly yes. Then our rivalry with Singapore should be like between England-Scotland and the one with Thailand is akin to the one the English have against the French perhaps.

You know why we are like the English? It's because Malaysian fans walk on a very fine line when it comes to the support for national team. A fine line that divides them to die-hard (so called ultra) supporters one second then a very pessimistic observer the next (moi)

Every win is greeted with "This is the change of fortune we need. We can only go up from here. This is our year. Hello WORLD CUP! (In England's case, winning it. In our case, qualifying past the second round).

Surely nothing is wrong with being a little optimistic. Heck, us football fans are all like that. Hey, I know that. This is Liverpool's year, i tell you! But what shits me is how high expectations are set, even when the foundations are so bloody wobbly at best.

Instead of taking it one game at a time, they're already setting targets - next, Asia Cup, then Olympics, THEN, World Cup! Seriously? With the quality you saw on the field? We only got through because the Indonesians took a leaf from Luis Suarez' book on how to miss sitters.

I was at FAM a couple weeks ago and to quote a friend who share the same feeling about the place - it is a shithole. Dilapidated state. You know how bad? Remember that abandoned block in secondary school where the school stashed all the broken chairs, tables and where the smoking kids go to take a puff but during recess, you kinda missed the whole thing because you happen to look the other way? That's how it was.

The only 'high-tech' thing I could point at FAM was the artificial pitch. Apparently they've had it for a while now. Really cool. Balls travel much more evenly, you don't get weird bounces and hardly hurt yourself if you fall on it.

Hold on. Weren't we complaining about the artificial pitch in the Jalan Besar stadium when we lost to Singapore? Kenapa dah tau, tak pulak training awal-awal?? Ah. Malaysians and their excuses.

It doesn't matter. Old story. The team is playing 'well' now.

Confidence is so stupidly high, that the commentators were like "Why are they giving chance to Cambodia in the second half?" during the 3-1 win a few days back. Hello! All goals, except for the third one, which was a beauty but in stoppage, were flukes, aite. They were running around like headless chickens and wayward passes that makes me question - budak-budak ni ada training basics of passing and trapping the ball ke???!

The team was all over the place and whoever thinks Ong Kim Swee is doing a good job probably thinks Roy Hodgson ought to be allowed a full season at LFC. Fact is, the reason Malaysia is 'up there' at the moment because other teams are shit. Hey, so quick to forget we lost to Singapore who fielded washed-out imports kan? Only highlight naturalized players, yet forgetting, they were old and overweight.

Deep down, I do hope Harimau Malaya prove me wrong, and really, succeed in "membawa kembali kegemilangan bolasepak zaman lampau" soon, starting with successfully defending their Gold in Sea Games. The hardest game is always the next. So keep your head straight, and take one game at a time. Focus one tourney at a time la. And stop the 'Japan used to be lower than us,' shit. It's pathetic.

Would be cool to one day, be able to take my kid to a World Cup match and watch the boys in tiger stripes play but judging on how they are progressing at the moment..... we might have a better chance of spotting a Malaysian-born referee running around. Fingers crossed for a better future in Malaysian football.

And stop playing that Hitam Kuning song. It's stupid.

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6:58 AM | 0 comments