Time for Change

If the problem and malaise affecting BN is merely that of public perception, then they are quite delusional and are caught up in their own self serving propaganda. BN as a government is in decline and is performing badly relative to the days in the past. They are losing economic competitiveness, their keen sense of development strategies which are losing lots of public money, revelations of rampant corruption and they have not been able to transform unlike whatever grand pronouncements made in that direction. They cannot even reconcile between national unity and Malay rights. Their media machines gun after each and everyone's racial phobia. Worse is that they have been caught time and again to be lying through their teeth.  So this is beyond public relations and APCO like perception insights or piecemeal "make people fear or make people feel good" solutions. It needs a major revamp and that denial syndrome or that "even if we are not performing we are still the best for you" attitude and condescendence has to go.

Why is it supposed to be a proposed reconciliation only between BN and PAS? Why be so dismissive of Anwar as if he is not significant politically whether in terms of national unity or Malay interests? If it is thought that  Anwar has lost it and cannot garner public support across the races and throughout the country then let us remind ourselves of what the embattled Pak Lah, a former PM said back then. He said Anwar is someone forgotten before setting out to lead one of BN's most disastrous elections ever. It is a fact that Anwar has been in government administration and has so far been able to transcend across diverse political parties and backgrounds. It is still a fledgling political process but now we almost have a viable two party system for vibrant democratic check and balances.

The ones out to cripple Anwar are the same Malay-Muslims with an outrageous destructive agenda turning everything onto weapons to assail and destroy him. It has gone beyond mere character assassination. Some insane drive has them fanatically devoted to vanquish him.  If God forbid, they somehow manage to be able to terminate him, it shall come together with demolishing and bringing down the whole nation's justice system. Does PAS really want to have anything to do with such wayward terminator like politicians?

We have to ponder this Sufi anecdote of the past. One day, Mulla Nasruddin a famous Sufi was seen kneeling on his lawn outside his house looking for something. His trusted pupil saw him and went to him kneeling beside him to help. The pupil asked, "What are you looking for, Mulla?". Mulla answered, "I'm looking for my keys." The pupil then asked, "Where did you lose it, Mulla?". Mulla replied, "In the house." The pupil wondered, "Why don't you look for it in the house, Mulla?". Mulla replied nonchalantly , "It is brighter outside."

Applied to Anwar, crippling attacks and character assassination shall not stop until realpolitik objectives are not achieved no matter what even if it goes against religious, moral, legal universal or human considerations. Applied to BN-PAS reconciliation, they maybe barking up the wrong tree.

Anwar's detractors seem to be overly infatuated to the point of chronic alarm with his aspirations to be the nation's leader. If we were to ask him, Anwar says he wants to be able to conduct islah - reform the nation for the better. So, please brush aside those intolerable hearsay innuendos - just tell him and us what is so wrong with his ideas and politics so that we are free to choose democratically.

It is a mistake to  simply categorise and stereotype people like Tuan Guru Nik Aziz as if PAS is  similar to UMNO's "follow the  leader right or wrong mentality". We have to give PAS their due credit in managing their own political transformation which out surpasses UMNO's illusions of change anytime. PAS is a party with a future and of the future. UMNO is still relishing and languishing in the past.

UMNO's foe is not Anwar, they are greatly mistaken for Anwar is part of their own history for them to judge. UMNO's bane is the party itself which desperately needs major reform and moral resuscitation even before they can think of reconciling with and partnering any other party with a better semblance of moral principles and practice.

It is actually no more about the continuance of Malay Muslim dominance and superiority  (right or wrong!) - we must earn it through integrity and social justice, to build respect and deliver leadership to all Malaysians. We have to shed this presumed Malay thinking of  this inherited superiority as the sole source of strength every time.

Yes, it is time for reconciliation but it  is also a time for change.

( this is written in response to   http://azrilmohdamin.com/2011/08/05/ramadhan-a-time-for-reconciliation/  )

Show a little kindness

You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership -Dwight D. Eisenhower.

When the prime minister of Malaysia went on national TV scoffing at the injuries suffered by his political nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, many were shocked. The PM's facial contortions as he mimicked his condition and made fun of the pain were ridiculous and clownish. His eager dismissiveness that it was only a "little" tear gas was gross.

This shows a clear lack of empathy and a little heartless on his part. He failed to notice and surprisingly, he was seemingly unaware that there were many others of his fellow citizens who were hit by much of the "little" tear gas and suffered the searing and nauseating consequences. It was obvious that the PM himself had never tasted being sprayed chemical laced water and suffocating CS gas. Some remarked that he should try smearing chilli pepper in his eyes and feel the pain. He seems to have a bizarre lapse in reasoning and thus engaged in ludicrous bravado for a captive audience, one which is becoming more and more out of touch with reality and the feelings of people.

He apparently overlooked another former PM's outrageous dismissal of Anwar's infamous black eye beating years ago. The strident former PM was recorded to have said that the injuries were self inflicted which made him look like a farcical comic to the whole world.

Of the recent incident, Anwar himself admitted it was only minor injuries. It would only be groundbreaking and really transformative if the PM would have dropped by and showed just a bit of concern. Of course, it goes both ways and everyone has to have a heart and be considerate to others especially in times of difficulties. Politics should be humane. It should not reach the stage of boiling heat and burning bridges as mature democracies show a sort of special relationship accorded between a ruling party leader and an opposition leader. They have to come to terms if not for themselves; it is for the people of Malaysia.

Wait se minit Minister!

Wait se minit Minister!

Hey, has the outspoken and abrasive minister done it again, flip flopping on the job! He has been too long on the job of being a political hatchet man instead of being an honest and fair representative of government. Are the tables being turned here? Suddenly they are in full reversal shying away from a commission of inquiry, rather relying on police investigations. Looks like the three stooges, oops , datuks are in for it now. However, it is still too early to tell looking at 13 years of conspiracies full of deviousness and vindictiveness.

Slander does not and will never work. Lying and deceiving to an educated and much informed Malaysian public is pretty dim witted and silly. In order to sustain such blatant lies, more incredible feats have to be created and perpetuated until the whole thing becomes bare, exposed, untenable and collapses on the liars themselves. What evil can they think of next to unleash unto Anwar and the ever wary and sceptical Malaysian.

Again, they forgot to take the late legendary artiste P Ramlee's advice in the Malay version of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, not to throw the dice thrice - trickery has its limits!

Dr Wan Azizah and family have weathered 13 years of brutal BN aggression in the form of persistent intimidation and character assassinations. Any other family would have been devastated but no, they withstood such scurrilous attacks on their husband and father that even the damning newspaper, The Star had to admit their family values were upheld high and acknowledged as a model.

Many Malaysians were always with them in their hearts albeit silent even in the darkest moments of tribulation. Malaysians of various arrays, hues, persuasions and beliefs stood with them, supporting them, wishing and praying for them. Many cried their tears in the middle of the night, unbeknown to others, while others slept, they were appealing to God to uplift themselves, save themselves but also to put in a supplication, to provide succour for Anwar and his family. All prayers and good wishes are meant for the just, the truthful, the honourable and the steadfast. No one shall wish any good to liars and deceivers. Those who make it their mission and living to hound, slander and terminate others shall have to fend for themselves here and the hereafter.

What is the lesson from all of these sometimes horrible and ever shameful experiences for the Malaysian public at large. We now know the extent of evil and who its purveyors are, who condones them, who are behind them, who collaborates, who sanctions, who does the dirty work for them; we recognise the criterion to distinguish the good and the bad. Instead of breaking us apart, Malaysians can now come together under the banner of truth and justice.

We surely know that things shall have to change.

That is why we say UBAH! UBAH! UBAH! Change Malaysia Change!