APRIL 17 – Ever since the Bersih campaign last year, the topic of politics were sure to be mentioned in almost any conversation with friends. Most of us are going to vote for the upcoming election for the very first time, and a lot of us have mixed ideas and opinions, let alone who we are voting.
I am a medical student in a foreign country right now, and honestly, before this, I usually ignored politics, with the mindset going “it’s all peaceful now, what so bad about it”, the only news I read was sports and possibly world news and that was pretty much about it. I hardly gave any concern about the nation’s problems and future, because I took it for granted that it will always be this way and I just couldn’t be bothered. Why? Because I felt it does not affect me. And boy I was wrong.
After coming to a foreign land, and being far away from Malaysia, for a little time, thoughts changed about ways things were done back home. Especially the system, because truth to be told in my opinion, the system has “failed”, and the people left to believe that the rest of the world is pretty much like in Malaysia, that we are in par with a lot of places.
And yes criticism, can be said that I’m not being grateful, we are far more prosperous or doing much better than so many other countries, but I think it’s a huge mistake to take that sort of mindset thinking that we are good now, and nothing can go wrong. In my opinion, actually we should be far better than we are now, so far forward in the world, and where we are now is almost a “failure”. Because regardless however good and safe we think we are, the world is ever changing and moving forward, and if we let go of the sight, we possibly would never reach where we should be potentially.
We have natural resources and definitely fantastic human resources, I don’t think many people realise that in many foreign universities that Malaysian students has invaded, we almost always have a number of students at the very top, and trust me, we do get respect saying we are Malaysian students. And so what this got to do with the upcoming elections?
To me, when resources are managed well, by putting the right brains behind to manage every single source we have, we could creep closer to the future a little bit closer to us. But then while I was back in Malaysia, I suppose I never had such feelings or thought, perhaps because of the media and coverage given, that is quite lopsided, saying that “everything is fine”, makes us indirectly take everything for granted.
I think the first major change we can do, regardless of pro-government or opposition is to free up the media. And yes of course with certain limitations. What for? Because in this century, if we can’t question the accountability of our leaders, what is democracy in the end?
They were voted for, selected to be accountable for our wealth, our shared wealth, to make this place, a better place for our future children, a country that where ahmad, ah chong and ramu can all live together, and prosper, and say that there is no place in the world they rather be, that they can live, as forward as any other place in the world. Rather than spoiling praises to blow smoke up leaders, we should listen to criticisms, only then they will feel the “hot seat” that they are in, that a lot depends on them and they should take the appointment seriously.
I think then, we hardly would hear any scandalous reports of corruption or power abuse, because they will be afraid. And by right they should be afraid. After all, we are the ones who are running the country and the existence of people power. If in case they ever try to be sub-par, they can be replaced immediately by someone who can do better. That the people are aware of who and how is the country is being run.
In a way, a strong opposition is not a bad thing. It keeps both sides in check. I guess I seen much more efforts by the government lately, rather than 10 years ago. I’m not really into the ideas of giving people a one hand-off cash, that’s pretty much unnecessary. Even its being mocked by foreign news, as being a measure of buying votes legally? Of course loads of youth enjoyed the meagre sum, in so many ways. But it’s temporary? If you calculated those amount that has been given, and used it in a different way to help people, to develop, I think it’s far more beneficial. Don’t give the fish to the man, but teach him how to fish?
And there is nothing wrong taking other countries as model. I’m not saying as a whole, but as in the terms of economic growth, progress and management, we could actually emulate or even better, innovate these ideas, and implementing them. Rather than coming out with projects like “signs of a gay person”, I think we can be far better.
A slight revamp on the education style, tightening the loose ends, and making sure that each Malaysian, regardless of race, has either education or skills to be able to support themselves or their family in times to come. Making sure that the incidents like the comical lawyer in the late beng hock case, doesn’t appear. Ever.
I guess for a voter for the first time, it’s a bit a lot to think about. Finally realising that we are the one’s choosing how this country going to be. That whatever bad or good things that are to come, we brought them on ourselves. Change is hard and difficult, but it is definitely needed.
And to me, it doesn’t matter whether it’s BN or PKR, because if either coalition is going to take us, the people, for granted, they need to be reminded that they would lose the mandate to run the country. Because we, the people, can always choose, the one’s that is envisioned for prosperity and the heart to serve. Since BN has ruled for 50 years, why don’t we see how PKR go for 5?
If PKR wins the upcoming election, and just going to be like BN with just a difference in name, we totally can get rid of them in the next election. Let both sides always know that where they are now, aren’t forever. In a weird way, for them being in a tug of war, is just going to beneficial to us, because they want to outdo each other, in serving us? So I don’t think it will be a bad situation when we have 2 strong parties going head to head.
Elections are coming.
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