Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has lost its majority in parliament, the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) says.
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has taken 94 of the 207 contested seats, while opposition parties have won 105. One seat has gone to an independent the ZEC has announced.
Seven seats have yet to be declared, so this means Zanu-PF cannot win an overall majority.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says its leader won the presidential election but official results have not yet been released.
Mugabe has ruled (and ruined) Zimbabwe with impunity since independence in 1980.
Is this the end of another dictator, the cleaning up of another piece of shit, let's hope so. He will be probably on the lookout for a bolt hole in which to retire, please Malaysia, do not allow him to tarnish the nation with his foul presence.
The 12th General Election is now over, the Federal and the State Governments hve been sworn in {except for that of Terengganu, where the spoiled brats of UMNO have sent a letter of protest to HRH The Sultan (Regency Council)}, but apparently, according to the view of the interviewee, something which lingers in almost everyone’s mind is what had prompted the voters to deny the two-third majority to the Barisan Nasional (BN), which had ruled the nation, unopposed for more than 50 years.
It is interesting, as well as really amusing, to read what Prof Syed Arabi Idid had said when interviewed recently regarding what had prompted the vote swing in the recent elections.
Professor Syed Arabi Idid, who is Rector of the International Islamic University (IIU) Malaysia as well as being Head of the Electoral Studies Unit, admitted that the outcome of the 12th general Election had come as a surprise to him, and was probably part of a new voting trend. “They did not vote for the Opposition, they just voted against the BN,”he reportedly told BERNAMA in an interview.
(Dream on baby!!!!!)
Dr Syed Arabi, who, it was said, has made an extensive study of the voting patterns in the country, shared his views with BERNAMA on what was probably on the minds of the voters and what one could expect in the new political landscape.
If the guy was surprised that the outcome of the General Election was as it was, when BN suffered the biggest hammering in their history, then one cannot help but wonder about the quality of his ‘extensive study’ and also his qualification to be the Head of the Electoral Studies Unit of IIU Malaysia.
Perhaps his is a BN / UMNO Government appointed post?
If you read the full article in NST, you may be forgiven for concluding that it is somewhat biased towards UMNO.
Non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum -Do not take as gold everything that shines like gold
Tomorrow, Saturday, 8th March 2008, is the day to cast your votes, which candidates you vote for in the Parliamentary and State Legislature contests are your own personal choice, but please think very carefully before you vote.
Make sure you know the implications of voting either for the BN or for the opposition.
The Main Steam Media, which includes the newspapers, the Radio & TV channels and Malaysia's monopoly satellite broadcaster ASTRO, which censors everything, so much so that even the live news, is delayed by several minutes, has been full of BN bullshit.
The opposition parties have had no air time at all, and virtually zero space in the editorial part of the English and Malay Language newspapers (any coverage they have had has generally been negative), the Chinese Language press has been fairer, and has had articles about, and paid advertisements from opposition political parties.
The BN has ruled the roost authoritatively for the past 50 years, they have amended the Malaysian Constitution, as and when they deemed fit, no less than 690 times in that time (nearly 14 times per annum on average), and the motive for these changes has, on the whole, been solely to strengthen the BN's grip on power.
UMNO dominates and rules BN, the other component parties are mere onlookers, silent partners, yes-men and toothless goons like the guy, with hairy lips and foul breath, at the top of the page.
Billions of Ringgit have been frittered away, squandered, wasted, syphoned off and as you all no doubt know, bribery and corruption are so deeply embedded, that they can be found in all tiers of administration.
Malaysia, given the wealth of natural resources, inherent expertise and experience, should be already a well developed country, but instead is a nation which has some of the features and trappings of a developed country, but is essentially still largely undeveloped as far as education, freedoms, democracy, human rights, public services, fair distribution of wealth, education, sustainable development and care of the environment are concerned.
Many citizens are still stricken with poverty, suffering by having to live hand to mouth, eking out their lives one day at a time.
The bulk of the wealth is with a very small percentage of the population, the remainder are neglected, patronised, subsidised (with their own money), and truly marginalised.
Have had enough of this?
Enough is enough, now is the time for a change of government in Malaysia
Watch this video and you will be enlightened THE RICH GET RICHER
TOMORROWSAY NO TO BN
VOTE LIKE THIS
Give the opposition a say in the running of Malaysia, give them a chance to change things for the better.
This source of some information in this post was here
It outlines why the greatest effort of all Malaysian voters is needed just to deny BN its 2/3 majority.
It would be almost a miracle to achieve this goal, nevertheless, everyone should vote to try to achieve this miracle and deny BN a 2/3 majority.
Please pass on this information via blogs, email, sms or any other means.
HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY THE VOTERS SHOULD NOT GIVE BARISAN NASIONAL (BN) A 2/3 MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT 1. BN lost their 2/3 majority only once, in 1969, but for a very brief period.
2. Since 1957, BN has amended the constitution 690 times solely to propagate its power.
(By comparison, USA which is more 200 years old has only amended its constitution 27 times; while Singapore amended its constitution only 4 times.)
3. BN's ability to amend the constitution as and when it likes (and thereby make unjust and unfair constitutional changes) must be stopped. The only way to achieve this is to deny them a 2/3 majority in Parliament.
Here are some statistics from the 2004 election:
1. UMNO received 35.9% of the popular votes but had 110 parliamentary seats or 50% of all parliamentary seats.
2. In total, BN received 63.8% of the popular votes but had 199 parliamentary seats or 91% of all parliamentary seats.
3. The opposition received 36.2% of the popular votes but had only 20 parliamentary seats or 9% of all parliamentary seats.
Why?
Because of gerrymandering (check the dictionary: it means interfering with an election, by, for example, dividing voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party in elections) , or having unfair election rules. The election rules are stacked against the opposition. No matter what happens, the opposition may never be able to win the next election. BUT WHATEVER THE ODDS, THE VOTERS MUST NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT VIA THE BALLOT BOX.
The decision-making power process within the last cabinet, was like this:
1.. UMNO not only controlled the parliament via Barisan Nasional, it also allocated itself 24 cabinet positions which equates to 71% of all cabinet positions. 2. MCA had 5 cabinet positions or 15% of the cabinet positions. 3. MIC had 1 cabinet position or 3 % of the cabinet positions. 4. Gerakan had 1 cabinet position or 3% of the cabinet positions. 5. Other component parties held 3 cabinet positions or 8% of the cabinet positions.
One should take note that although UMNO controlled only 50% of all parliamentary seats, it controlled 71% of all the decision making processes within the cabinet.
Many marginalization issues or unfair election practices are the result of legislation passed, or amended by the BN government, (lead and totally controlled by UMNO), and which is completely unchecked in the BN dominated Parliament.
Under the BN party whip system, the majority component party within BN dictate the rules of the game. Other BN component parties like MCA, Gerakan or MIC cannot vote against whatever UMNO decides, even if they wanted to.
5. Best of all for BN is the fact that even if the opposition won 50% the seats it contested, the opposition parties may still not be able to form the next government.
Why?
Because gerrymandering (of the present election borders) has ensured that even if BN were to win 50% of the popular votes in the upcoming election, it will still control 2/3 of parliament.
As an example, in 2004 BN took 64% of the popular votes but ended up controlling 91% of parliament. (see table below)
It is easy to see why if they win only 50% of the popular votes in the next election they will once again be able to dictate and hold absolute power in the parliament.Do your maths … and do your part… for our children and our future! The target has to be high, so vote for change of government.
POPULAR VOTE STATISTICS 1959 to 2004
Then there is also the possibility of voting irregularities, such a multiple voting, phantom voters, ballot box stuffing, vote tampering, ballot paper frauds, etc., etc., etc.
Caretaker P.M. 'Who is Anwar, who is he? Wake me up before you go-go zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.'
"A CLASSIC CHANDRA-WARA ! by Martin Jalleh
It is simply amazing how someone who was deemed “irrelevant” by the caretaker PM and of whom the mainstream media (MSM) chose to send into oblivion has now become the cover story of the MSM – for very obvious reasons of course!
“Who is Anwar? ” the PM had asked sarcastically. He is finished. His political career has folded up. But now, almost every other day Pak Lah answers his own question! Anwar’s “spirit” haunts, hounds and heckles him – even though Anwar is not eligible to stand!
Very evidently the script and sandiwara for the General Elections by the boys on the Fourth Floor have spun out of control. The sycophants surrounding the PM have been caught with their pants down.
In comes an eminent human rights advocate who would spew out an “intellectual” diatribe – Chandra Muzaffar – a man whom in elections of recent times (except when he was in the Opposition) the BN would unleash before the final curtain.
“If Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becomes Prime Minister, it will be an ‘unmitigated disaster’ for Malaysia. . . he is not the sort of leader the country needs as he is now singing a different tune from when he was in the Government, ” charged Chandra,the former deputy president of PKR. Chandra changed?
A member of the public named “Amar” who wrote to the editor of Malaysiakini pointed out that the “examples he (Chandra) quotes in the report were events that happened way before Anwar lost Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s patronage and interestingly, these were events that took place before Anwar’s reformasi movement commenced. ”
“On what basis did Chandra join PKR as deputy president given that he had reservations over Anwar’s past decisions? ” he quite appropriately asked.
In a similar vein respected journalist and former MP James Wong Wing On quotes a retired academician who attended the forum during which “Chandra Muzaffar had ‘really succeeded’ in damaging or even destroying his own credibility by re-launching ‘a very bitter and vindictive’ attack on Anwar Ibrahim’s ‘past records’ in the BN government”:
“If Chandra Muzaffar had always known Anwar’s "past records" in BN…why did he continue to support Anwar in the period from 1998 to 1999 and also became Parti Keadilan Nasional’s deputy president and its parliamentary candidate in the 1999 general election? ”
A “Aril Mikhail” wrote to Malaysiakini highlighting the irony that “Chandra is ‘coming clean’ and saying all this of Anwar now, when he himself appears to be doing the exact opposite of what he was doing when in Aliran and PKR. Before, he consistently argued against the BN having a two-thirds majority and the need for a strong opposition. ”
“Now, on the eve of the elections, he seemingly dismisses the opposition and asserts that, despite its flaws, there is no other viable coalition beyond the BN.
How fortuitous. I guess when you’ve been offered a cushy position in a state university for two years, you tend to ‘change’ somewhat.
“Dear Chandra, selling out is fine. But becoming a willing tool of a corrupt, arrogant and racist regime at this critical juncture devalues, indeed destroys, whatever good work you may have done thus far. May God guide you, ” was Mikhail’s parting blessing!
In other words, it appears Chandra is also singing a different tune?
Chandra Confused? In their response to Chandra’s cutting criticism of Anwar, the Malaysian Media Monitors’ Diary, a joint project of Charter 2000-Aliran, the Centre for Independent Journalism and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence, along with independent volunteers, showed how confused Chandra was: “Chandra also expressed his fear of serious polarisation in the country: ‘My fear is that this coming election will reinforce and aggravate the ethnic polarisation if a large number of non-Malays vote for the Opposition, and worse if a large percentage of Malays vote for the Opposition.
This will cause Umno to be very cautious in making any changes to the ethnic question and addressing issues related to religion. ’ “Such an argument only raises further questions: in the first place, isn’t the increase in polarisation due to ethnic-based policies and practices of the past Umno-led administrations, as alluded to by Chandra himself?
If so, how on earth could Umno be relied upon to make meaningful changes that could redress problems related to ethnicity and religion? “And why was there an emergence of amorphous groups such as Hindraf that articulate legitimate grievances (to a large extent) from a particular ethnic community?
“Secondly, how can ethnic polarisation worsen if both the non-Malays and the Malays vote for the Opposition? If anything, a multi-ethnic ruling coalition and a multi-ethnic opposition would lessen polarisation and ensure that issues raised are debated in the interests of all Malaysians. Is it the only the Barisan Nasional that can resolve ethnic issues and polarisation. The record indicates otherwise.
”Chandra Consistent? Chandra also said “the most important quality of a leader in a multi-ethnic country was honesty and when a leader spoke on sensitive ethnic issues, he must say the same thing to non-Malays as to the Malays…You cannot play games because it is very dangerous. " There could be no better response to this than that provided by the Malaysian Media Monitors’ Diary: ”If, as rightly pointed out by Chandra, the issue of trust and honesty is vital, then shouldn’t we, or rather forum moderator Wong Chun Wai, also ask whether leaders such as keris-wielding Hishamuddin can be trusted to be one of the country’s leaders. “After all, didn’t Hishamuddin change his political stance pertaining to the issue of Chinese and Tamil schools in the country in the run-up to the general election? Isn’t that political expedience of the highest degree? “Hasn’t his tune changed?
Wasn’t it in Umno that you had a few politicians talking of unsheathing the keris and threatening to bathe it with Chinese blood? Did this escape Wong’s (or Chandra’s) memory? ” Yes, what about the “honesty” of caretaker deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak who in 1987, as UMNO Youth Chief, vowed to bathe the keris with Chinese blood, and who now never fails to spew out a verbal diarrhea of multi-racial mutterings?
As for consistency, did the caretaker PM not preach to the gathering of Christians at the Plenary Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches at the beginning of his premiership on “Dialogue The Key To Unity Of Multireligious, Multiethnic And Multicultural Societies” and yet, four years later ban the Building Bridges Conference, a inter-religious seminar meant to bring together Christian and Muslim scholars of international repute? Alas, Chandra seems so out of tune!
Even the Aliran Executive Committee feels so. In a statement today they provide two examples: “It is odd, (therefore, ) that Chandra should be so concerned about the problem of money politics in PKR per se. At the same time, he has not said much of late about the money politics which has always been associated with the BN.” ”Chandra also has highlighted the supposedly racial scare tactics used by PKR during the Lunas by-election. For us, such dirty tricks have been resorted to by all parties especially the BN. Again, all forms of racial baiting by all parties should be condemned.”
Chandra’s chicanery? In recent years, Anwar has in fact addressed what Chandra has accused him off. As Aril Mikhail has put it quite succinctly: “The gist of Chandra’s personal attack is that Anwar is saying things now that are the opposite of what he said and did when he was high up in Umno.
This, of course, is nothing new and Anwar himself has addressed these criticisms often enough. Indeed quite recently Anwar has met head-on criticisms and the portrayal of him as a political chameleon (especially by the MCA). When asked to respond to a 4-page leaflet by the MCA entitled “Disclosing the true face of Anwar”, Anwar said: “The notion that I’m a political chameleon misses things by a mile…Nothing I did and said in the language and cultural spheres were not standard BN-Umno policy and nowhere did I take my championing of any issue to the extent that I waved a keris and called for bloodletting, stirring crowds to emotive outbursts” (Malaysiakini).
Anwar was referring to the October 1987 Umno Youth-led demonstration in Kuala Lumpur where a band of Malay leaders, including present Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, harangued the crowd with inflammatory rhetoric. At that time, the posting of non-Mandarin speaking administrators to government-aided Chinese schools ratcheted up racial tension in the country: “Those were fraught times and I hold that the distinction one ought to make between a responsible and a chauvinistic leader in that context lay in how you argued your point without inflaming public sentiment. “I stood on the sane side of that divide while there were others in power today who breached that line with impunity,” he said.
In early February this year, Anwar subjected himself to a rigorous examination of his stances on religious issues in the presence of about 200 Christian clerics and lay activists and appeared to have emerged intact (Malaysiakini). There was no variance between his public pronouncements and his private assurances to his inquisitors, said an observer at the closed-door dialogue held in Petaling Jaya, organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia.
Chandra’s Condemnation There also remains the hopeful reality that politicians do and can change for the better through time and circumstance. James Wong quotes a good Christian friend who also attended the forum wherein Chandra spoke: “…whatever his "past records" in the BN government, Anwar has ‘cleansed’ himself by his willingness to suffer grave injustices and tortures from 1998 to 2004, and also by working hard now to oppose BN’s unjust policies.
Seen in this light, Anwar is definitely a better person than those in the BN who still refuse to make amends for the better. ” “Has Dr. Chandra Muzaafar himself changed for the better or worse? ” asked James Wong
By portraying Anwar as untrustworthy and unprincipled Chandra is pronouncing the “death sentence” on the man who has already paid a very costly price for challenging the head of a hegemony who was capable of the most heinous! Chandra also confounded the whole country when he said that although BN was “flawed”, there was no other coalition in the country. In its statement Aliran stated that it “does not share
Chandra’s recent remarks vis-à-vis Anwar Ibrahim and PKR. Neither do we share his views that the BN despite its flaws is a better choice. Indeed, we are rather perturbed by his apparently emotional outburst. ”
Asked why he was breaking his silence now, Chandra said it appeared that people were being deceived by Anwar and (it) is something for which I am prepared to go on record now so that people will not be deceived".
Chandra should keep in mind what he had once declared: “Malaysians are not idiots or imbeciles.” Apparently Aliran was not satisfied with the answer given by its former president and so it stated and asked: “The most disturbing aspect of this episode is how Dr Chandra Muzaffar has wittingly or unwittingly lent himself to be a part of the BN propaganda machine".
It is sad that a prominent intellectual and long-time activist of his standing has such a blinkered view of the issue at hand. We wonder why he did not make these alleged goings-on public earlier and follow up on them conclusively given his public stance on integrity and accountability. Why only now? "
Alas, Chandra should not allow himself to be a hydra of the BN!
"Many people have been calling up the Aliran office to express their outrage about Dr Chandra Muzaffar’s critical comments of Anwar Ibrahim and the PKR which have been given widespread coverage in the mainstream media. These people have enquired about Aliran’s views on the matter, since Chandra was referred to as the founder of Aliran.
In this regard, we wish to clarify that Chandra has not been an active member since 1991, when he stepped down as president and later went on to establish JUST.
More importantly, we wish to state that Aliran does not share Chandra’s recent remarks vis-à-vis Anwar Ibrahim and PKR. Neither do we share his views that the BN despite its flaws is a better choice. Indeed, we are rather perturbed by his apparently emotional outburst.
In contrast to Chandra’s position, Aliran calls upon fellow Malaysians to vote in a stronger Opposition. It is important to deny the Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority which has allowed them to amend the Constitution at will and ride roughshod over dissenting views. A stronger Opposition will help to consolidate Malaysia’s fledging democracy. Too often, we have sacrificed democracy to pursue development - and that too, a model of development which has concentrated wealth in the hands of a minority.
To reiterate, Aliran stands for sustainable people-centred development and democracy for all. We have asserted this position in the latest two issues of Aliran Monthly, which have focused on the 2008 elections.
Chandra’s remarks as reported in the mainstream media appear to emphasise that Anwar Ibrahim is not a leader who can be trusted. Apparently, money politics is also prevalent in the PKR. If this is true, it is cause for concern because the implication is that the money politics disease has spread from the BN to the PKR! From our knowledge, money politics is indeed widespread within the ruling BN parties. It is odd, therefore, that Chandra should be so concerned about the problem of money politics in PKR per se. At the same time, he has not said much of late about the money politics which has always been associated with the BN.
Chandra also has highlighted the supposedly racial scare tactics used by PKR during the Lunas by-election. For us, such dirty tricks have been resorted to by all parties especially the BN. Again, all forms of racial baiting by all parties should be condemned.
The most disturbing aspect of this episode is how Dr Chandra Muzaffar has wittingly or unwittingly lent himself to be a part of the BN propaganda machine. It is sad that a prominent intellectual and long-time activist of his standing has such a blinkered view of the issue at hand. We wonder why he did not make these alleged goings-on public earlier and follow up on them conclusively given his public stance on integrity and accountability. Why only now?
This is an excellent article by M Bakri Musa, please take the time to read it, and go to his blog via the link below. Thank you.
M. Bakri Musa
Seeing Malaysia My Way
Sunday, March 02, 2008
The Tale of the Rattlesnake
Spring comes early in my part of California. Already there are exuberant splashes of dancing daffodils on the hillsides. Soon the colorful California poppies will pop up. With the weather becoming warmer, the rattlesnakes too will soon emerge from their winter slumber.
Talking of rattlesnakes, I am reminded of the story of the kindly lady who saw one such weakling that was dying from the long cold winter. Taking pity on the poor critter, she took it home and nursed it back to health. One day while she was feeding the now robust creature, it took a swipe at her hand and bit her.
As she lay dying she asked the snake why it had done that. "You should have known better, lady! You knew I was a rattlesnake, you should have killed me back then!"
On March 8, 2008, Malaysia will have a general election, with Prime Minister Abdullah seeking a second term, having secured an overwhelming mandate back in 2004. This will be the voters' collective judgment of what Abdullah did with that mandate.
If Barisan Nasional retains its supra-majority and Abdullah remains as Prime Minister, rest assured that he will continue the pattern he set in his first term. He will once again reward his cronies and family members with sweetheart mega billion contracts san competition, just as he has done during his first term. His excuse then was that he did not know that he was doing it! He will continue dozing off during meetings in the mistaken belief that Malaysians approve of such mediocre performances. Also, expect the bureaucracy to become even more bloated. This self-styled "number one civil servant's" answer to every problem is to spend more money and employ more staff.
For Malays, expect more books on Islam to be banned and more raids by moral vigilante groups intent on keeping us on the "straight path." And expect this Imam of Islam Hadari to lead even more prayers in public, with the television cameras rolling on, of course.
For non-Malays, expect more temples to be torn down to make way for "community development," more cash demands from their insatiably greedy Ali Baba partners, and more reasons to take their children out of national schools.
In short, Malaysians would be like that innocent lady who took pity on the emaciated rattlesnake. Malaysians took pity on Abdullah and gave him another chance. Unfortunately, true to form, this rattlesnake Abdullah Badawi will bite us back with a vengeance.
Who Should We Blame?
There is a little bit of that kind lady in all of us, of wanting to be helpful, and yes, also to be forgiving, of wanting to give someone especially our leaders another chance. We believe in the basic goodness of our fellow human beings. We are generous and believe that goodwill begets more goodwill. In short, we are not rattlesnakes.
Unfortunately, there are the small minority amongst us who are indeed rattlesnakes. No matter how kind we are to them, their basic instinct is to bite back.
When I find a rattlesnake near my house, I remove it away back to the hills. If it returns, then I will not hesitate to kill it. I give that critter only one chance; it is too dangerous to have a rattlesnake crawling around near my house.
Malaysians have been too kind and for too long to this rattlesnake of a leader, Abdullah Badawi.He interprets the huge mandate he received in2004 not as a trust given by citizens to lead them to greater heights, but as a license to indulge his private fantasies.He is not at all embarrassed by being endlessly feted, or of him and his adult family members jetting off to far away destinations in his newly acquired (at taxpayers expense of course) luxurious Airbus. Where and when did this grandson of a pious and humble village imam acquire his extravagant tastes?
When Abdullah was appointed Deputy Prime Minister back in 1998, this is what I wrote in my book The Malay Dilemma Revisited: "Abdullah is not known for his intellect or sense of mission. Nor is he very inspiring. . . . He would be Malaysia's Jimmy Carter, an honorable enough man but totally ineffective leader." I was wrong about the honorable part.
I also wrote, "Abdullah's only redeeming quality was his humility; a fine enough tribute for a friend but an overrated quality in a leader." As we now know, Abdullah has a lot to be humble about, to borrow Churchill's quote.
Democracy: Self Correcting
The mistake Malaysians made was in giving Abdullah that massive mandate in 2004. That however, was understandable, prompted no doubt by the kind lady instinct in us all. Unfortunately it cemented in Abdullah the delusion that his many inadequacies were indeed virtues. Our intellectuals and pundits too were also taken in, mistaking Abdullah's silence for substance, his humility for wisdom. Had Malaysians been less generous and our intellectuals more critical, Abdullah would have a far less inflated sense of his own capabilities and virtues. Who knows, we might be spared his vulgar excesses.
Even Prime Minister Mahathir was fooled by Abdullah to appoint him as Mahathir's successor. At least Mahathir recognized his error of judgment (albeit belatedly) and is now working hard to remedy his greatest mistake.
The beauty of democracy is that citizens can (or at least are given a chance to) correct our collective mistakes, or even those of our leaders. In this upcoming election, voters in Kepala Batas could do a great national service if they were to boot Abdullah out. That would effectively remove him as Prime Minister. More significantly it would trigger a seismic shift in UMNO's leadership. With the party's ban on contesting top posts effectively circumvented, it would get a chance to preview many other candidates.
If Kepala Batas voters were shy in exercising this historic opportunity, then Malaysians could still teach Abdullah a lesson by substantially reducing his coalition's victories. That would also trigger a challenge to his leadership and we would have the same effect as the first scenario.
We Malays have a saying that sometimes we have to be unkind or even cruel in order to be kind. We may think that we are being kind by giving a five-ringgit note to a starving drug addict, but then he would just as quickly use that money to get his next fix.
In the social sciences there is the concept of "enabler," specifically referring to the battered wife syndrome, of the wife whose toleration of her husband's abuses encourages him to be even more abusive.
In this election voters will have to be cruel in order to be kind to our leaders, ourselves, and our nation. Malaysians must be wise enough not to be inadvertent enablers of corrupt and incompetent leaders. We must get rid of the rattlesnakes among our leaders before they bite us.
If Malaysians were to continue on with business as usual with this election, then we have only ourselves to blame. It would not be the fault of the rattlesnake if it were to bite us back, as surely it would.
Please go HERE to read the blog of M Bakri Musa http://www.bakrimusa.com/
You may also wish to view this video of a Press Conference given by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia.
