Why the need for political reforms

So, let me spell it out to you clearly, yet again. Malaysia needs political reforms. Of course we also need electoral reforms. We also need good governance, transparency, an end to abuse of power and corruption, an end to racial discrimination and religious persecution, and a million other things. But what Malaysia needs most is political reforms and if we can achieve that then many ills facing the country can automatically cure itself.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Eight in 10 Chinese want political reform: survey

(AFP) - BEIJING - Eight out of 10 people in China's major cities support political reform, according to a survey reported Wednesday, on the eve of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition.

Seven in 10 people believe the government should face greater public scrutiny and strengthen its checks against corruption, said the poll, published in the state-run Global Times newspaper.

Corruption topped the survey's list of threats to social stability.

"Most Chinese people believe China should initiate political reform," the newspaper said.

The survey figures come as President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao wind down 10 years of leadership that saw roaring economic growth but also growing popular discontent over problems including corruption and income disparity.

The leaders' expected successors, Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Li Keqiang, are due to be anointed at a five-yearly Communist party congress beginning in Beijing tomorrow.

They will face mounting pressure to address such issues and spur economic growth, which has slowed to 7.4 per cent, its lowest quarterly rate since 2009.

Analysts say the administration has failed to enact the economic and political reforms needed to ensure steady growth in the coming years.

China's all-powerful ruling party censors public criticism and its top leaders make key policy decisions and appointments through negotiations behind closed doors.

Two thirds of respondents rated China's development over the past decade as "satisfactory or somewhat satisfactory" while seven in 10 said they felt reform should occur gradually.

After corruption, they ranked the widening rich-poor gap and an inadequate social safety net as the most pressing problems.

About 70 per cent said the government should expand access to healthcare, pensions and social security within the next five years.

Eighty-five per cent said they felt "China is likely to face more challenges in the future".

The survey, of more than 1,200 adults living in seven major cities including Beijing and Shanghai, was consistent with results of prior polls, the Global Times said, citing a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences scholar.

Surveys on such subjects appear periodically in state-run media.

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I have read many ‘theories’ posted in Malaysia Today. One is that Singapore is a great nation because it is a Chinese-run island-state. Another is that Malaysia is in bad shape because it has a purely Malay government/administration. A third theory is that back in the days when Malaysia had a Chinese Finance Minister the country’s finances were better managed -- hence the answer to Malaysia’s problem is to have a Chinese Finance Minister.

I suppose that AFP report above regarding China dispels this Chinese-is-best theory. The fallacy that race determines all is a very Nazi-like theory. Good and bad has nothing to do with race. Evil is colour-blind and if you do not know that by now then you are too dumb to be reading what I write. So go away and go read articles onMalaysia Chronicle -- more your ‘level’.

And this is the message I have been attempting to get across to you -- of course in my usual most provocative manner. Well, I did say I enjoy throwing the cat amongst the pigeons and to see ‘siapa yang makan cili rasa pedas’. And I must admit that many felt pedas, mainly because they were the ones who makan cili.

Yes, that’s right, it is not that difficult to make Malaysians melenting. Rub them slightly the wrong way and they foam at the mouth like mad dogs.

Okay, so I am a sadist. I enjoy torturing you. So sue me! Or just stay away from Malaysia Today. That would be better because I am not honoured by having idiots making up my numbers. I would rather that Malaysia Todaybe a small website of thinking readers than a large website with idiots as readers.

Two years ago I told you that I had joined the Liberal Democratic Party in the UK and voted for them in the last general election. And I also told you the reason why.

Labour was propagating status quo. Conservative was propagating electoral reforms. Lib Dem, however, was propagating political reforms. I too support political reforms hence I joined Lim Dem and voted for them.

Yes, how many Malaysians would dare declare that they voted in the UK general election, never mind who they voted for. Doing so is grounds enough for you to lose your Malaysian citizenship. Hence most Malaysians would not vote in a foreign country’s general election -- even secretly and for sure not openly.

But I did it and I do not hide the fact that I did it. And if the Malaysian government cancels my citizenship then so be it.

Anyway, back to the issue of political reforms.

The Bersih movement is fighting for electoral reforms. The ABU movement is trying to get Umno kicked out. Suaram is fighting for human rights. And so on -- there are many NGOs, movements, societies, associations, etc., fighting for all sort of things.

To each his own, I always say. You have your struggle and I have mine. I may agree with what you do. I may even support what you do. But that does not mean your fight must also be my fight. I may not stand beside you but that does not mean I stand opposed to you.

For example, I support the rights of LGBTs. But that does not mean I want to enter into a gay marriage with you. And just because I do not want to sleep with another man that does not mean I am opposed to gays.

Do you brain-dead wankers get what I mean? And don’t even attempt to use the ‘either you are with me or you are against me’ argument on me or else I will whack you to kingdom come.

So, let me spell it out to you clearly, yet again. Malaysia needs political reforms. Of course we also need electoral reforms. We also need good governance, transparency, an end to abuse of power and corruption, an end to racial discrimination and religious persecution, and a million other things. But what Malaysia needs most is political reforms and if we can achieve that then many ills facing the country can automatically cure itself.

So forgive me if I choose a different route to yours. We may all be heading in the same direction and aiming to reach the same destination. But I would rather take a different route to yours. And the route I choose to achieve what I feel Malaysia needs is the route of political reforms.

And because of that I do not embed or attach my struggle into a political party, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat. I strongly believe that what I hope to see can only be achieved outside the political platform.

I suppose it is just like religion. We all want to go to heaven and not go to hell. But each one of us chooses a different route in getting there. Just because one of us chooses Islam and the other chooses Christianity the objective does not change. At the end of the day both believe in the existence of God. Both, however, do not share the same route in ‘reaching’ God.

Only stupid Muslims will say unless you convert to Islam then you are my enemy.