NO ‘POLITICAL BARRIER'?

By : STEPHEN YAMAN

WHAT does PM Najib mean when he said that “BN do not wish to set up a police roadblock, but they will put up a ‘political roadblock’ because the oppositions are not qualified to occupy the seat of Putrajaya”? It sounds strange after more than half century of no other party except BN. Is this a statement of confidence?

This is supposed to be a democratic country and what he just announced is truly “not democratic” at all. As a Prime Minister, does he decide who should represent the people in parliament? Or do the people decide who should be their representatives?

Who should then be qualified to say if anyone is not “qualified to take over Putrajaya”? For a layman like me, I think very highly of a Prime Minister but what he just said is “a very mean and tough statement” and only the people of Malaysian can and will decide whether it is fair or not.

How can he claim that “BN are the ones who develop Putrajaya”? It is the duty of the government to develop the administrative capital of the country – whether they like it or not. The funds and resources to do that come from the country and people, and do not come from BN… I hope I got this right.

In South Africa, the white “Apartheids” of mostly Dutch origin are the ones that have done so many things that made South Africa what it is today. However, they cannot claim that the non-whites are not qualified to run the government of South Africa. After many decades of struggle, jail and torture, the non-whites led by Nelson Mandela finally prevailed and took over the government. So, who says anyone is “not qualified to take over the federal government”?

Why should the PM accuse the opposition for uttering lies after lies when the people (voters) can decide for themselves what is good or no good? Most of the mass media (television channels, radios, newspapers, magazines, et cetera) belong to the BN government. And the BN government has been using them to their best interests… in fact some people are refusing to switch on their radios or TV and stop buying newspapers and magazines.

People are turning to the internet to compare and get a balance picture between what are said in the government mass media and what other people may have to say. Many years ago the general public refused to read the “Harakah”, “Suara Keadilan”, or “Rocket” even if you give it for free but today they will pay a premium to get a copy. People want to compare information and “read between the lines or the lies”.

I was one of the few people who had to tolerate the authoritarian government of Tun Mahathir during our reporting of “DETAINED” in black with photos of 16 opposition members after “Ops Lalang” on the front page of The Star in October 1987. The Star, Sin Chew and Watan printing licenses were withdrawn by the KDN and the newspapers were shut up for five months.

After so many negotiations between Tun Mahathir and Tun Ling Liong Sik, the conditions for The Star to get back the printing license were that Tunku’s column “As I See It” and Tan Chee Khoon’s column “Without Fear or Favor” were to be discontinued, and that five senior editors were to leave the country for many years… for the rest of us, the new publishing law apply.

About the same time, the Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and five Supreme Court judges were sacked and their pensions not paid for many years until the premiership of Tun Abdullah Badawi. How sad?

During the term of Tun Mahathir, he could push his ways at home and around the globe. Amongst his declarations was his retaliation against the “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher when her government announced the hike in student fees for foreign students by announcing Malaysia’s own “Buy British Last” and “Look East” policies. Every leader has his days and even the Tun Mahathir has to call it a day. But he hasn’t stop talking as Chedet!

PM Najib could try out some of Tun Mahathir’s stunts and watch what will happen. He might have thought that he (and not the Malaysian voters) decides “the oppositions are not qualified to take over Putrajaya” as if there are specific qualifications to be PM. We Malaysians would like to see how many political roadblock BN can make and how many the Malaysians voters can accept – the truth has befallen many leaders all over the world and Malaysia is no exception.

If you never lied, the people shall decide your destiny at the PRU13. To make such a sweeping statement is rather unbecoming of a person of such high status.