JANUARY 29 — Ever had one of those days where you just want to close your mind to the events that are taking place in Malaysia, and say ‘I really don’t care anymore’?

The news does not carry any news, if that even makes sense. For those who still read newspapers from the main stream, well, good luck. Why? The answer is very simple. It’s simply because as far as they are concerned ( which is what they are told to report), nothing seems to be wrong in our country. Everything is nice and dandy.

It is one thing to be hopeful of things, but it’s quite another to conceal actual facts and figures and underscore the true severity of surrounding circumstances and the reality of things.

Instead of having the powers that be enlightening the public of the true position of our economy, they paint quite a different picture. To the contrary as a matter of fact. That to me is irresponsible to say the least.  When faced with a dilemma, it is only logical and practical to first and foremost accept the fact that there is a problem. When the Ringgit is down, for goodness sake say that the Ringgit is down.

When the economy is facing a crisis, say so. If prices of goods are going to go up, have the integrity as the government of the day to state that fact. At least the lay people would be on their guard and not live in a fantasy world that the powers that be seem to live in, or at least portray to be.  If Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya can designate an office for a law firm to operate and issue letters of demand (bright red in colour mind you) to patients who have outstanding bills with warnings of legal action, it say many things. The sign of the times they say.

The point here is because of the fact that the lay people are not told of the actual economic realities faced by the country and how it is going to impact their day to day lives, they seem to be finding it out in a very ad hoc manner. Because the awareness is not there, and when something goes amiss, for example the increase in the price of medicine or vegetables or books or electricity rates, some bitterness tends to grow inside. Because every day in the main stream media we are told that all is good, when it is not actually, we start to question: why weren’t we told of this? Why were we told quite the opposite? Why only now are we finding out these things?  And so the bitterness grows. This is the tiring part.  

Just when we feel that no one is telling us the truth of what is actually happening in this country, we then have a group of people take it upon them to enlighten the people on the true realities of things and inform the accurate state of affairs. To them we must say thank you. They seem to take the bitterness out of things.

I would sincerely urge the government of the day to start informing the lay people of the seriousness of the current economic situation in Malaysia and not just leave that job to the opposition leaders. It must be collective effort. Popularity is not important at the moment. Mind you when people’s ‘rice bowl’ starts being affected, the sight of office bearers flying around in private jets or driving around in fancy cars or staying in huge mansions will only fuel that bitterness that is already there.  

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.