Race and economy is only the tip-of-the-iceberg challenge to Malaysia, Pak Lah

 

For as long as the government of the day under the leadership and control of the BN political party continues to disregard, negate, or even play down the issues of corruption and the associated need for greater transparency and convincing accountability, this nation will suffer. And that suffering is not going to abate for as long as politicians bank on race issues as the defining blue-chip in their power-grabbing greed.

J. D. Lovrenciear

Our last Prime Minister – who was rudely shooed away from his pinnacle of managing the nation, has given an interview to the international media.

In his interview, it is reported that he identified race as the main electoral issue, followed by economy – also hinging on race equations.

He is right. But Pak Lah is only right as far as the fact goes, i.e. that these two issues he singled out as the vital few are only the manifestations of a deeper disease that is plaguing the population.

Pak Lah, have you not seen how all races marched hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder in the Bersih rallies and Lynas protests? Were they fighting over race and economy or was it a show of strength to demand transparency, accountability and a corruption free nation anchored on civil liberties and true democarcy?

The cornerstone of any national good governance is one of being corruption-free. While many will argue that zero-base corruption is pure utopian, the tenable benchmark is transparency and accountability.

For as long as the government of the day under the leadership and control of the BN political party continues to disregard, negate, or even play down the issues of corruption and the associated need for greater transparency and convincing accountability, this nation will suffer.

And that suffering is not going to abate for as long as politicians bank on race issues as the defining blue-chip in their power-grabbing greed.

BN leaders must come full circle. They have had the unique advantage of being in power for five over decades. In the early years, the rakyat stood behind BN all the way. In recent past they had doubts and that suspicion was well cemented in the 2008 General Elections.

But BN was foolish. It went to town with the message that the rakyat were gullible and got influenced by opposition. If you read the main stream media of today, the BN leaders are still at it anyway.

Why keep belittling the rakyat?

Today as the nation feverishly and speculatively awaits the announcement of a general election date (strangely a dark secret too by BN), people are logically linking their increasing hardships in meeting ends meet in the face of spiraling costs of living to that of mismanagement of the nation’s resources and economic opportunities.

People are saying that Malaysia is not managing its blessed resources adequately not because it lacks know-how and capability within its shores. People are univocally holding dear to the belief that we would be faring better if not for the suspicious and failed ‘mathathirization’ of the country’s socio-economy.

Pak Lah, people are saying that corruption is manifested through the way BN leaders have been buttressing through with all kinds of mega-ringgit awards to cronies.

A simple case of recent concern that is tolling the cat’s bells is that of a BN leader’s family members’ (husband and sons) involvement in private enterprise - a family owned company to manage national agriculture and husbandry.  

Likewise, getting private individuals who are linked to powerful individuals within the BN leadership in the purchase of arms when we have legitimate agentries to source such deals.

Or for that matter, why are huge concessions undertaking developmental projects being given on a silver platter only to those who are biologically or matrimonially linked to the power-packed leadership within BN? Are we saying that there are no professionals, capable businessmen and women, qualified citizens and adequate agencies within government or even cooperatives and guilds to undertake such mega projects?

So you see Yang Berhormat Pak Lah, can we get out of this drummed up enemy called ‘race’ and take the bull by the horn?

If BN can be transparent, accountable and seriously transform itself into a corrupt free entity, then the rakyat will have no qualms in giving back to BN that mandate to govern just like what they did in the first 30 years of nationhood.

But going by all the statements coming from within the barracks of BN, the voter should not be butchered for thinking that all hope is in vain. BN should also not go on a witch hunt if the civil servants too decide it is time to try a difference and give time for BN to rehabilitate itself.

In a nutshell, BN if you cannot fight the war of corruption adequately, speedily, professionally and without fear or favor, then your enemy will continue to remain as race and economy. But if you heal yourself of corruption – both perceived and real, you have race and economy to your advantage.

BN leaders - Pak Lah included, what is your option? Citizens, what is your call?