Monday, January 25, 2010

Are we prepared to face the difficult times?

Published in Malaysiakini Letter to the Editor
28th January 2010


Following the 10th General Elections on November 1999, when the late Fadzil Noor of PAS became the opposition leader, I felt confident that one day we could see the emergence of a two party system. All we needed was a malay opposition leader and this would terminate BN’s racial games. As I told my friends, taxi drivers and ordinary Malaysians about this many looked at me like I was speaking Na’vi. Malaysians just could not understand how another political party could ever become the government of the day. To many they did not realize it was provided for by the constitution.

Today, 10 years later we are so close to having a true democracy where the people are able to have a real choice of 2 parties. This would inevitably put power back into people’s hands and bring accountability back into government. This is so desperately needed in our country today where there is no respect nor consideration for the Constitution and the courts or judiciary as seen in the recent “Allah” issue.

However, like the Reformasi movement birthed 11 years ago, it shall not come easy. We will have to ask ourselves as Malaysians if we are prepared to go through the birth pangs – the pain experienced at child birth. There will be sacrifices, even lifes may be lost – but how many great nations today do not have blood spilled over its history books?

As Malaysians we are not blind to the wanton waste, abuse, cruelty and injustice of the present leadership in our government. How many Malaysians at the back of their minds trully believe the spin and the many cases which the Attorney General’s office throws out? From the violent death of a Mongolian woman, the mysterious death of a groom to be, the missing jet engines from the RMAF, the billions lost in PKFZ, the death of a few school girls when the bridge at a 1 Malaysia camp collapsed and supposedly random attacks on our places of worship. We live in prison camps because our neighbourhood needs to be fenced up and guarded. We are worried about our children’s education as they struggle to compete globally. We are worried about the economy as it further spirals down and out of control. The state of the nation is in two words; “ not good.” What angers many Malaysian is that instead of providing leadership and fixing the problems or bracing for the difficult times ahead; our political leaders appear to be bent on regaining Selangor or playing politics with our children’s education and other matters that are so important to us.

So to say that the Barisan Nasional will be booted out completely in the next General Election provided the Election Commisssion limits their underhandedness; is not an unrealistic picture. However to say that the Barisan Nasional government under the present leadership would fight tooth and nail to retain power even through violent means is a very realistic picture. Afterall has it not been revealed that the May 13 racial riots were staged and if they were capable of doing that what else would they be capable of doing? A riot like atmosphere would be artificially created so that marshall law could be imposed. Parliament suspended and a curfew imposed. There will be a huge ISA swoop and cleanup which will include our opposition members and the media, especially the electronic media. Fear will once again be instilled in our hearts and Malaysia could be thrown back into the dark ages.

So the question is again; are we prepared to fight for democracy till the end? I am finding myself having to answer this difficult question. It is of course easier to be branded a traitor and leave for a more civil country where laws and the constitution are respected. I have a couple of years yet to process these difficult yet necessary issues.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Another new low for Malaysia

Church attacks - blame lies squarely on PM
Meng Yee
Jan 8, 10
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Three churches fire-bombed.

I write this after churches in Selangor and the Klang Valley were attacked. I as a Christian bear no grudge or hatred towards the perpetrators.

After all to Christians, we worship no idols and the buildings we worship in are nothing more than buildings. The church is the people whose faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, what is sad is to see our leaders in the government passively endorsing anti-Christian protests. Through yesterday's messages by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussien Onn and Deputy Prime Minister Muyhiddin Yassin, the government endorsed all the actions taken by these attackers.

The responsibility and blame should now lie squarely on the shoulders of our PM and his government. If they had any sense of honour they should resign or apologise but of course we know that would never happen.

Malaysians have heard, and now have seen and I believe many are now disappointed with his so-called '1Malaysia' policy.

As for the almost defunct MCA and MIC, now is the time to speak up or forever become irrelevant. Now is the time to stand up against those in Umno who say the protests are okay and who reject the High Court's ruling allowing the Herald to use the world 'Allah'.

We want a strong statement from MCA and MIC and from the other component parties of the BN government. On the other hand, perhaps its better if you don't since you are supposedly representing race and your protest will be seen as a protest from the Chinese or Indians.

In actual fact ,we have had enough of racial politics - the entire BN government should take time to reflect on what they are doing to this beloved country of ours.