by Jay Jay Dennis
Precisely a year ago to this day, I woke up with the belief that there was somewhat of a possibility that we Malaysians, would experience change in one way or another. After being ruled by a power for 56 years, it is safe to say that on the 5th of May 2013, Malaysians expected. On that very day, Malaysians delivered big time at the ballot box but due to the system of government we live in, we have that very establishment in power, albeit only a minority.
Now, if I were to go through all the calamities the country has been through in the past one year that would be quite a task, it’s quite impossible to sum up in this piece but let’s look at the key ones.
To begin with, the issue of corruption brought about by the villainy in those occupying positions of power has been taken to the next level in Malaysia, where in 2013, a study by Ernst & Young (one of the top accounting firms around) concluded that Malaysia, along with China, has the highest levels of bribery and corruption unmatched, anywhere in the globe.
Unscrupulous acts will have dire effects on the finances of the working and middle class, us the people. However, not a word is said to rebut such findings by the Cabinet or its head, Prime Minister Najib Razak.
To overcome the loss of finances, his very own Ministry which bulldozed the Goods & Services Tax Bill, and virtually circumvented the Parliament in the process by only allowing a two-day debate on a bill, which will have ramifications for generations to come.
When one just pauses to make sense of this whole equation, well it would be nigh on impossible to make head or tail of it, as it is inexplicable for any legitimate government to do so. The lives of the select few are made all the more easier, and the ordinary people are made to suffer in an extraordinary way.
In an age where freedom of speech and the media are being adhered to by democratically elected governments, our government dares to be different by going against the tides and living up to the now infamous tagline, “Malaysia Boleh”, the land of all possibilities. Independence given to our media is now ranked at 147th of the total 180 nation states studied by Reporters Without Borders in 2014, with media agencies who do not conform to government orders not being granted printing permits.
Political persecutions have also been the name of a nasty game played by the government and Attorney General’s Chambers, where members of the Opposition have been hauled up for reasons from organising gatherings in objection to government actions, acts against the order of nature, sedition, sedition and yes, sedition.
The pantomime villain which gets away with whatever his mind can come up with is Ibrahim Ali. Balderdash utterances by Perkasa with shocking things like “What more do non-Muslims want?” seem like a sequel to our top news daily’s “Apa Lagi Cina Mau?” after GE13. Rounding off this triad is ISMA, which never halts its agenda to break apart Malaysians, fostering instead for ‘mafia-rule’ and disunity among individuals.
It looks a lot to me, as though the institutions which are pillars to which a nation can strengthen its foundation and grow are destroyed to an extent that it will take some repairing. Justice for the common man in the judiciary cannot be guaranteed. Elective dictatorship is being practiced in its fullest in Parliament and the executive reign supreme where even a Minister can threaten for an apartheid-style electoral system.
I need not go into too much detail on flight MH370 as the government’s actions have been a laughing stock the world over. At the time of writing, it has been 58 days since it’s the unfortunate event yet the families are no closer getting the closer they undeniably are yearning for.
Do we sit back and watch?
A year on from GE13, I awake not to disappointment, but fuelled with hope and aspiration that the wrong can be made right. The rigged electoral roll and its system have got to be given an overhaul, as put perfectly by the People’s Tribunal organised by Bersih. Our judicial system has got to have its sanctity reclaimed before it moves into oblivion. Malaysia’s Federal Constitution, the supreme law of our land, must be defended at all costs against those who may have agendas which are out of order.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak claims ever so vociferously that he is a reformer. I will make it crystal clear that he is indeed a reformer, hands down. But he is a backward reformer in that he is making the country head into the wrong direction.
We, Malaysians, can be the real reformers. There is work to be done. We have got to pull our socks up and display to the government that time for play is most certainly over and they should not abuse and take for granted, citizens of this most brilliant nation, Malaysia.
The passing of Malaysian greats, Karpal Singh and Irene Fernandez, among others, have shown without a doubt that battles against the government can be won. When, not if, more of us fight our battles, then come the next General Election, we will win the war. -The Rocket
