I consider myself at the crossroads of my life, not just because I am now 60 but because of the current developments in Malaysia. And that is why I decided to take a ten-day break and just chill out and jam. As I write this I am awaiting the rest of the gang who are coming over to jam. We may even put on a show at the end of next month for a farewell gig for one of our friends who will be leaving for home after spending more than a decade working outside Malaysia.
My friends, associates and family are quite divided on what I should do from hereon. I am not in a hurry to go back to Malaysia. I have a house here and am quite comfortable in my new surroundings, the country of my birth. I do still have family in Malaysia. But I also have many family members here in the UK -- brother, sisters, cousins, children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and their children who would be my cucu saudara. So I am not quite alone or detached from the family.
The question would be where I would want to be buried. My mother and my maternal grandparents are buried here. My father and my paternal grandparents are buried in Malaysia. So does it really matter where my final resting place is going to be? One place is as good as another and once you are no longer a member of this world it really does not matter too much when you would not be aware of it anyway.
I am going to reflect on the situation these next two months till the end of November. In December, subject to what happens over these two months, I shall have to make my decision. And in January, whatever that decision may be, I shall embark on the next phase of my life. What that decision is going to be will all depend on what I see over these two months.
I am still committed to The Peoples’ Declaration. That is going to be the foundation of what I embark upon. I believe that Malaysia needs reforms and The Peoples’ Declaration clearly spells out what these reforms should be. And I am prepared to work with any group, movement or political party that can commit itself to these reforms.
I earlier spoke about the Third Force. This idea has met with mixed reactions. The Third Force can be anything. It can be a political party. It can be a movement. Or it can simply be a group of like-minded Malaysians who share the aspirations defined by The Peoples’ Declaration. Ultimately, it would be a grouping of Malaysians who seek change or reforms.
Malaysia needs change. Initially we thought that Pakatan Rakyat would be that agent for change. But after more than two years we are not seeing Pakatan Rakyat walk the talk. And because of events like the Selangor PAS internal skirmish between the liberals and the conservatives, the Selangor DAP mud slinging, the Perak DAP public quarrel, and now the PKR party election fiasco, it appears like the three Pakatan Rakyat parties are no different from the parties in the Barisan Nasional coalition.
Can we trust Pakatan Rakyat to be that agent for change? All I can see is the same shit that we see in Barisan Nasional. The only thing is the shit in Barisan Nasional is bigger. But shit is still shit, whatever the size.
I am proposing a meeting of the members of the civil society movements to discuss where we go from here. The focus must be about how to seek change as laid out in The Peoples’ Declaration. Can the current political structure serve our purpose of seeking this change? Can Pakatan Rakyat still be that agent for change?
I don’t know the answer to this, at least not yet. I hope that by December the scenario would be clearer and that by then we will know exactly what we must do. Is this aspiration an exercise in futility? Should I instead plan the rest of my life around just lazing in the sun on a Mediterranean beach with a drink in my hand and a cigar in my mouth?
I do not hide my disappointment and disgust with Malaysian politicians and Malaysian politics. I feel we can no longer trust politicians from both sides of the political divide. It may be time to take back power from the politicians and give it to the people. But how do we do that? I don’t know. And I hope by December it would be clearer.
I have choices as to what to do with the rest of my life, many choices, in fact. I can, if I want, be selfish and make a choice that serves me best. But that choice may not quite be what is best for Malaysia or for the people of Malaysia. So my final choice may have to be laced with some sacrifice and will have to take into consideration what is also good for Malaysia and Malaysians. And what that is I am yet to decide.
I suppose life is such. It is never so simple and straightforward. Anyway, let me stop here for the meantime and get back to my drums and hopefully by Christmas you and I will be clear in our minds as to what we need to do come the new year.
The electorate and media widely acclaimed that the March 8, 2008 general election results as being the political tsunami that had swept through Malaysia. It was to have ushered in a new political era. It was to have brought in new hope to the country and the people.
Political Tsunami of 2008: Momentum lost
Well, more than two years have elapsed. Have the hopes and aspirations of those believing that change for the better will occur come to materialise?
It was to have inspired change. But one very vital element that the victors had not taken into serious consideration was that the vanquished would never surrender power like gentlemen. Politics is not and never was a gentlemanly game. It is a brutal tussle for power. Anything and everything can be used to justify the end.
In Malaysia political power is the means to control wealth, destiny and well-being of those in the group. This is especially so when for the last fifty years, UMNO, the party in power, has had no challenge to its power. It believes that it has the blessings of God to govern as it pleases. To challenge its power means by this logic to challenge God’s power.
UMNO had to devise ways and means, legally, illegally, open or covert to wrest that power back. This is the core strategy that the victors had not taken into consideration as to what the vanquished would resort to. The aura of victory had lulled the victors into complacency and they have never realized that they are facing an experienced and vicious political enemy.
The onus is on the victors to prepare a counter strategy to beat off all attacks and manoeuvers that will threaten what they had gained, and retain the support and loyalty of the voters. They should never create doubts on those who had supported them and that had led to their victory. People power gave PR political prominence, so ignore it as PR’s own peril.
This, the leadership of the victors, especially PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim and his associates, has failed to realise and to act. They had portrayed themselves as being as greedy as those whom they had trounced. They still adhere to the culture of the vanquished. They practised what their supporters and sympathizers believed to be what the previous administration had practiced. They had not cut themselves off from what their enemies had been practicing.
This is the sad part. The people were ready for change but the victors have not shown dynamism but instead have embroiled themselves in silly and petty squabbles. Partners are now engaged in non-productive and divisive engagements.
People need change in approach, political culture and work ethics. The previous administration had practised a culture detrimental to the welfare of the people and yet the very same culture is being perpetuated. When will these legislators break away from the old mentality and embrace the new culture of vitality and honesty that they had promised?
Two years is long enough to have already displayed some kind of political dynamism and people are impatient as they want to see change as promised. The enemy has been doing its homework and digging the trenches in readiness for victory in the next round.
Political intellectualism is missing, giving rise only to more and more political gangsterism. Zaid Ibrahim is trying to align the victors towards the correct path that will eventually bring them to Putrajaya. He needs all the support. He has had the strength to break himself away from the decadent political culture of the past. No one seems to have seen the sacrifices and foresight and they now need to show some sense of propriety in their political thinking.
The development that has taken place so far shows that most of those that joined the group were the disgruntled ‘political has beens’. They have their own agenda and not necessarily for the well being of the people. The enthusiasm and open arm demonstration in welcoming this group only proved to be a set back to the victors. That these people eventually showed their true colours is nothing surprising. It is as expected.
Being never on guard, the group has been penetrated by all and sundry that has caused turmoil and with that, naturally nothing positive can ever be achieved. Talk is easy and sweet but only positive action will prove that the group has the capacity to satisfy what the voters had hoped for.
No comments:
Post a Comment