M. Kula Segaran

I have been told that there is a Chinese saying about courageous people who even though being aware of the presence of fierce tigers in a mountain, will still go to the mountains undeterred.

Last election saw such fighters in the persons of Sdr Lim Kit Siang, Sdri Teo Nie Ching and Sdr Liew Chin Tong abandoning their safe seats to contest in tough and formidable BN strongholds. Tigers are tough but the election results have proven that these 3 DAP fighters are even tougher.

Of course, victories in their seats were won also because of the courageous voters who decided it was time to vote for a Better Malaysia. There is also another important factor which must be mentioned.

Decades of past efforts, especially the last 5 years of hard work by Sdr Dr Boo Cheng Hau, his state committee and the Johore branch leaders as well grassroot members have helped create the basic conditions required for great battles with the BN. Although Pakatan Rakyat  had failed to achieve the mission of capturing federal power, there is no reason for despair.

In fact, there is every reason for us to feel optimistic as the victories achieved by DAP and Pakatan Rakyat in Johor on May 5 have placed us in a much stronger position to mount a challenge to BN’s power in the next coming general election. We can expect BN to use the coming 4 to 5 years to do all they can to strengthen their hold on power.

DAP leaders at all levels and DAP grassroots as well as Pakatan Rakyat supporters must therefore prepare early for the next Big battle.

I urge the internet savvy young voters who have played such an important and effective role of publicity agents for change in the last general election to keep up their good work. I am an optimistic person and I believe BN the political dinausor will finally fall.  It is just a question of time. The harder we work and the more effective we can spread our political messages to the people, the earlier BN will fall.

I believe that we can defeat BN and win federal power in the coming general election.

Why do I say BN is like a political dinosaur that cannot change?

Let me cite two examples of how BN government and leaders  just can’t change.

Before the May 5 general election, the Prime Minister made an unprecedented historic visit to the Chinese New Year Open House organized by Dong Zhong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) , becoming the first prime minister to do so.

But today he and his deputy are not keen to listen to the objections raised by Dong Zhong and the Chinese community against the National Education Blueprint.

Before the May 5 general election, the Prime Minister talked about “nambike” and asked the Indian community to put their trust in him and BN government.

Look at the government’s attitude today towards the SK Seri Pristana issue where unfairness and injustice have occurred. The whistleblower Guneswari received death threats, non Muslim pupils were bullied and intimidated by the headmaster, teachers and classmates resulting in mass exodus of the non Muslim pupils, yet the Education Minister has remained silent till today.

I have asked him if he is powerless or heartless or both, his silence and inaction continue. The deputy education minister II P Kalamanathan could even have the cheek to say the school incident was a small matter.

These two issues are enough to prove that BN government cannot change for the better.

So the message that Pakatan Rakyat must continue to spread is that BN must go in the next general election.