APRIL 4 — Malaysia ranks 39 out of 44 countries in problem-solving test for 15-year-olds. Bet you we will get worse results if we put our national leaders to the above test!
Billions have been spent to procure state-of-the-art weapons and equipment to protect country and people. Not only have they failed the grand duties they were assigned for, those in charge are asking to purchase more. In Malaysia Boleh, heads do not roll when things go drastically wrong. Not even when lives are lost. These thick-skinned leaders can shamelessly ask for more funds to carry on this whole rigmarole. Does sanity rule here, in Malaysia? Integrity?
Thank God we have good global leaders out there giving us a lending hand in this heart-breaking search for our lost MH370. There are so many questions here but we won’t get any truth out of our leadership. We, Malaysians, are so used to this irresponsible attitude from them. They think they look more dignified with their heads buried in the sand, not caring that they are the bigger fools for forever taking others for fools. They never cared for us, ordinary Malaysians or what we think. For those of us who care enough to question or act to redeem some sanity or dignity for this beloved country of ours, we are always threatened with one thing or another. I, for one, will be asked to leave my motherland.
(On a personal note, to all families of MH370, I’m still praying everyday that God is hanging on to the plane. Nothing I say will ease your pain but I’m truly sorry. We all, are.)
Irene Fernandez has gone to a much better place. God loves her so that He wants her back with Him for her well-deserved rest and recompense. She devoted her whole life to recognising His will, accepting it and doing all she can to accomplish it. She brought back some semblance of dignity to the downtrodden and oppressed. She made life so much better for the fringes of society. While others in the kingdom of the blind are led by the one-eyed king to try to scrape the heavens above, it was the likes of Irene who held the destitute in tight embrace and gave them hope. And what did our government do for our very own Joan of Arc? Just kept throwing hurdles at her and her good work. Shame on you!
The Tiger of Jelutong is still around. My daughter is a lawyer. When she first told my husband of her intention to become one, he told her that many lawyers are crooked. He reminded her that if she truly wanted to be a lawyer, then she must be one like Karpal Singh. She did intern with him and I know she will always, always remain true to his teachings and all that she knows of him.
On the night of July 11, 2012, our Prime Minister announced the repeal of the Sedition Act 1948. In his own words (which he himself has made a mockery of, since), he said that it was done so as to regain momentum for reforms and help to strengthen national cohesion by protecting national unity and nurturing religious harmony. As a student of Logic in Mathematics, I was taught to take the corollary of that statement of his to be true, too if his original statement was meant to be true. Which is: If the Sedition Act 1948 is not repealed, then national cohesion cannot be strengthened, national unity cannot be protected and religious harmony cannot be nurtured. Is there any responsible leader of a democratic country touting the latter for those under his watch? Any?
Here, we have Karpal, who has for decades, tirelessly just like Irene, fought for the downtrodden. He has not just redeemed dignity for many; he has even saved many from the gallows of death. Is life not more precious by far? Karpal is a world-renown lawyer. Every lawyer out there knows just how good and competent he is. As a concerned citizen and a lawyer, is it not his right to give his legal and expert opinion on something that ills the nation, what more a constitutional crisis? How can someone who loves his country so, be deemed as seditious? Where is there a more patriotic Malaysian than Karpal Singh?
The DPP for Karpal’s recently concluded trial had strenuously pressed for a custodial sentence, adding that failing which, the court would be deemed to have insulted the institution of the rulers. Huh? Her veiled and vile threat was expunged by the trial judge. Some sense there, I thought. But wait….now, Putrajaya wants that threat to be carried out in a cross appeal. Are we shocked? No, nothing that makes sense last long in Bolehland. Guess Putrajaya is overrun by the likes of those who would fare worse than our 15-year-olds at the problem-solving test!
Every other day, one or another opposition politician is being selectively persecuted. International observers have raised consternation over this. Over deaf ears, I supposed? How can our so-called “democratically-elected” leaders in the best democracy of the world go on such a rampage to undermine their adversaries? Is this a country ruled by law or of law? How can we continue to go on this retrogressive path in this 21st century? This age and time? We are no longer in the kingdom of the blind; being ruled by a one-eyed king. Spending billions on defence weapons, only to rule likewise? Is there any more sense in our leadership?
There is so much wrong going on in this beloved country of others. Students who can’t think, photocopiers at best, bigots playing God, politicians playing the race and religion cards to divide us peace-loving Malaysians, household debts mounting sky-high, a soaring crime rate, a police force that cannot protect lives or property. The list, as they say, goes on and on...
I beg of you, my dear leaders of this present government. Come down from your high horses, extricate your heads from the sand and start living in the present reality that is the state of affairs for Malaysia. Come off your arrogance, time to swallow your pride and eat humble pie. Be the patriot you want people to believe you are. Stop being so greedy, egocentric and lazy.
Most of all, stop living in denial. Admit your faults and start putting things right. Otherwise let the tigers, cubs of Jelutong and the likes of Irene take over Putrajaya. After all – Humility gains more than pride.
* May Chee reads The Malay Mail Online.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
