Monday, February 4, 2013

Giving Thanks and Robbing Politicians

Sometimes, we focus too much on the party politics of Malaysia, with its monkey-like politicians and  equally simian supporters that we forget this - the system is there to serve the benefits of us all.

The system of governance, whatever system it may be, was not put in place to benefit the few opportunists, but to take care of the welfare of all of us. Failing that, it should take care of the many, at the expense of the few. Whatever. Point is, the Government is there for our benefit.

There is no question of thanking any Government. The money - resources, cash, funds - did not come from the Government. It came from our lands - minerals, commerce, industry. I find the notion that anyone having to thank any Government as appalling and lewd.

I believe it is an ego thing, when people want us to thank them for our life and our livelihood

And yet, there is gratitude in order. We should thank the Government, congratulate it, on a job well done whenever they do it well - and their job is to provide a better living through sound management of whatever resources we have at hand.

I do not thank the BN Government for giving me money. The money comes from the land and its people. I thank them for not running us to the ground (yet) and for managing our assets more or less okay for the past 55 years.

However, I must say that there is room for improvement. I leave that to the whiners and moaners as well as the ineffective Opposition.

A friend of mine suggested that in order to 'teach' Governments, as we would a dog, we should elect a new one every four years. The effect would be catastrophic. Political instability will almost surely jeopardize any project which takes more than four years to complete. Thousands of companies will go out of business. Tens of thousands of people will be bankrupted and the general quality of living will go down tremendously.

"This would be bitter medicine," said my friend. "But it will perhaps result in a Government that can be held accountable for their actions. A Government that would scurry to the questions of the public. An honest Government that has its masters' - the people's - interest at heart, for fear of the almighty punishment at the polls."

I think of putting the country into chaos, and my greatest worry - though I agree with having a fully accountable Government - are the opportunists salivating at breaking companies such as Petronas up and drinking all the oil - one of the ONLY things that are keeping us afloat.

I worry that the opportunists waiting in the wings will use the chaos as cover for the greatest heist, the greatest robbery in the history of this country.

Sure, the country is being bled dry by some unscrupulous people who take advantage of the system - as they do in the States. But leaving ourselves open for a hemorrhage of that magnitude is suicide.

I believe that what this country needs is a better villain. An Opposition that is not petty or stupid, or made up of liars and cheats. We would do well if the 'alternative' is actually different than the mainstream.

I see no difference in politicians of both divide. They are all selfish liars who do not fight for me or you.

It is my personal belief that we should go ahead and do what is good and necessary for our society, our people and our country. And if any politician were to tell us no, we should go to his or her house and rob them of every corrupted cent they have siphoned off this land and distribute it to the poor.

Yahiya Chouhada!