JUNE 15 — The past few weeks have given us glimpses of the bleak future in store for us. The world, from a Malaysian point of view, looks to be quite disastrous.
Put aside the tragedy of a natural disaster that got Malaysians all superstitious about nude tourists on Mount Kinabalu causing an earthquake or even a gymnast whose gold medal at the recent SEA Games did not manage to steal the spotlight from her allegedly revealing attire.
With so much happening, there is enough material to make a television series spanning several seasons. A certain world-famous HBO production of power play for the highest throne of power seems to resonate with the current affairs here.
This game of back and forth being played out between a former prime minister and the current prime minister is at the expense of not just the people but media airtime.
More pressing issues which need to be addressed ASAP are left by the wayside.
Instead, we have a foolhardy “knight” who lives in the delusion that his GST-free fried rice will win him favour with the people.
Then there is his brave counterpart, known for being bold, who seems to think the only way to achieve grandeur in these troubled times is to challenge those of loftier bloodlines. Who is the foolish one now?
Things don’t look that rosy on the other side of the political divide either.
What was supposedly a marriage of convenience between the three main Opposition parties—with the objective of ridding the nation of the old regime—has broken down.
There is much drama about whose ideology shall prevail. Clearly, they have deviated from the real mission at hand and are stooping to new lows to keep a hold on power.
As an example, you would hardly expect a religious party to use manipulative methods to influence and rig elections for the top leadership. But it happened.
The more forward thinking leaders were completely booted out by the religious faction of that particular party, putting the whole Opposition pact in a limbo.
The party’s main concern now has deviated far from the common objective of trying to make a change for the country. Instead it is focused on its own doctrine, which is something one of its allies has serious problems with.
PKR, which is supposedly the glue between DAP and Pas, seems unable to navigate the bloc out of these troubled times. Maybe it is the lack of ingenuity or tactics that they used to possess when their influential leader Anwar Ibrahim was around.
Somehow the plot currently isn’t all that clear with multiple twists and turns happening with every “episode.” Unlike in a TV series, these “episodes” are not scheduled and there are no re-runs in real life so the consequences are real.
Malaysians are stuck with what seems to be the local version of Game of Thrones and all we can do for now is just sit and watch.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
