Poetic Justice

Tun Mahatir has just announced his resignation from UMNO, a party he had joined since 1946. Presumably, this will put further pressure on Pak Lah who is already embattled from within, largely by UMNO’s East Malaysian political partners, and without, largely by Pakatan Rakyat, after UMNO’s recent abysmal electoral performance.

In many ways, this is not surprising. After all, UMNO has always had a peculiar love/hate relationship with its former Prime Ministers with Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn post-UMNO political adventures already being bandied about as a cautionary tale in many a discussion at the neighbourhood coffee shops.

And if one sifts through the very same caffeine driven discussions, the overwhelming concern is the extent to which the present confrontation will escalate what with the recent “publication” of the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s findings into the Lingam videoclip and the criminal trial involving one Datuk Razak Baginda – a man closely connected with Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the present Deputy Prime Minister.

The troubling thing is that those very same political intrigues highlights the core of the problem i.e. too much politicking and too little service to the common man who have put those politicians in power. After all, does one need to have a crisis BEFORE one decides to implement steps to improve on transparency in any public institution?

The caffeine may be kicking in but it just seems like the charade has been going on for far too long and one would have thought that post 8th. March, 2008, the Government would just simply “get it”.

Instead of “encouraging” history to repeat itself, we should be looking to and profiting from a better future. A future where the needs of the common man, as a whole, is served instead of one where everyone is pitted against one another on grounds of politics, race, religion or creed.

Here’s the real question – post 8th. March, 2008, have we heard what really matters? Granted, we have heard about RM9.9 million being transferred from the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) to the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) three days after the election results were revealed. We have heard about the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam videoclip. But has there been similar headlines of anything which eases the economic woes of the common man?

The reality of the election results of 8th. March, 2008 is that it represents a scathing indictment, perhaps not so much of the personalities at the helm, but more against a system which does not the hear the grievances of the common man. Such grievances can only be remedied by working out a better future. Such a future can best be felt and seen exactly where it matters – the wallet.

Unfortunately, as the administration deals with the attendant uncertainty that comes from having a weaker mandate, this has been lost sight of i.e. the interests of the common man must reign supreme. And if one accepts such a reasoning, then one must similarly accept that this can only be adequately dealt with by mapping out more concrete plans for the common man’s economic future, for OUR economic future.

As Nehru once said:

“The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.”

Little did he know, 60 years or so ago, he was talking about Ketuanan Rakyat (lit. Citizen’s Power). And that, as opposed to more politicking, is just something we simply need more of in Malaysia. Which is not to say good cups of coffee to go along with that will be refused.

P.S. I abandoned the earlier title for this one. Its the caffeine.

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