By Howard Lee Chuan How
There are libraries of literature out there suggesting that a society, in which the people have no confidence or trust towards its public institutions, is one that is awaiting its imminent implosion through anarchy. Those who choose to stay will one day manifest their dissatisfactions through destructive means. Those who choose not to stay will… well, leave. All this leads to an eventuality fitting of a scene in a post-mass destruction-wasteland movie.
Take for example; a society where a vast majority condemn the entire police force for the practices of a few corrupt officers, drastic consequences will follow. We are already seeing this in Malaysia today, where a coffee shop owner who was been robbed at gunpoint saw no point in reporting the incident to the police, but did not think twice in spending money hiring an armed guard.
The verbatim answer I got when I asked why, was “I can afford to overlook the 8 reports in the last three years I made that have all come to nothing, because it was only money and material things at stake. This time, it was my life. I cannot afford to waste time and effort with the police and be disappointed one more time.
Apart from certain out-of-touch stakeholding politicians who choose to be in denial, not many would doubt the undeniable fact that Malaysia is suffering from a severe crisis of confidence, and is running a dangerous deficit of trust towards most public institutions. The Police force is the foremost example of this.
Brave acts by officers whose sacrifices many of us forget to thank, are often overshadowed by the heinous acts of those who are corrupt. Its now time for us to renew our vow to restore our faith towards those Police officers whose courageous hearts has no other intention other than to protect his or her fellow Malaysians.
For those of us who are BN supporters and leaders, please wake up and smell the coffee. Snap out of that semi-conscious state of denial, and together help lift our nation out of this turmoil and restore our nation’s pride.
For PR supporters and leaders who are in government, we must continue the good work of empowering those hardworking officers on the ground and support them in every way possible.
For PR supporters and leaders who are in opposition, we must work with everyone possible; yes… even our political nemeses to reduce corruption, and re-educate the public to trust in the police as WE WANT THEM & WE NEED THEM.
For all of us who are none of the above but are Malaysians, we must with all our strength, fight the real enemies who are those at the seat of power within the police force tainted by Corruption, Nepotism and Cronyism. We must fight to ensure that those whose conscience are still pure and clean can serve and protect us without fear, and those are tainted will be fell from grace.
We must vow to continue our struggle to free the police from the shackles of political subservience to the BN government. Now is the time for us to resolve the crisis of confidence that has plagued our society and work hand in hand with the police officers on the ground and together tackle the shocking rate of violent gun crime.
WE MUST NOT AND WILL NOT give up until the whole PDRM is free from the political enslavement by the BN regime. And to quote Dr Martin Luther King, “WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED until justice flows like water and righteouness like a mighty stream.
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I strongly believe that we have reached a stage where the majority of Malaysians have lost faith in the government and their agencies, resulting in lack of cooperation with them!
Elections are held once every 5 years for a reason! This is done so that whatever the out come, the winning side must be legally given the chance to rule with full cooperation from all. The ruling group should sink all differences and respect all people’s representatives likewise opposition representatives should be given full respect by all government agencies to serve the people who voted them into office.
No citizen should be discriminated against just because the exercise their right to choose whoever they like! A failed system is a result when governing parties fail to uphold this fundamental principle in a democracy!
This will then result in not only the police force be disrespected but practically all other government agencies!
To get the cooperation and respect of the people, this government must show they respect every citizen regardless or race, religion, educational background or political inclination.
On the other hand, the citizens must back reasonable policies set up by the government but reserve the right to criticise in a lawful manner any unreasonable acts of the government.