Heading in the right direction — Sheila Santharamohana

Three more days and the fate of Malaysia will be decided.

Will we continue the spiral of financial and moral bankruptcy under the continued racist and divisive grip of Barisan Nasional (BN) or could we head towards a new era where all Malaysians will be recognised as equal partners in the future of this country?

Talk about standing on the cusp of history!

As a citizen of this country, I feel I’m not asking for much — just a government I can trust to do its best by its people: worthy of the office and honest in its dealings.

For the first time since 25 years ago, I have faith that this country might be heading in the right direction with a government that will not play race and religion against the “Other”. For too long, BN has rewarded the undeserving and humiliated the rakyat with lie after lie.

From the time Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad came in with his grandiose, albeit short lived, slogan of “Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah” to the heart-stopping era in the ‘90s when Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and the DAP’s Gagasan Rakyat looked like it could be a contender against the mighty BN, Malaysians have been disillusioned and beaten down.

Then “Operasi Lalang” swept through the nation in 1987 and we were cowed into silence.

As a teenager in the ‘90s, I remember the bile of racism in Dr Mahathir’s policies. My Malay friends were accepted into race-exclusive educational institutions while my Chinese friends opted for a Mandarin education. Schools became racially polarised and the quality of education plummeted. During this time, the mainstream news and print reeked with unfettered racism and our leaders screamed racial supremacy. It was so pervasive that we too became the creatures of their making.

And for all that time till 2008, I recall we lived in fear of speaking out, of each other and for our future.

When Hindraf and Bersih marched, it became clear to closet racists like me there would be no salvation unless I took it upon myself to unite with my fellow Malaysians and participate if I have any convictions or idealism left for this nation. I am glad I did as it was a humbling, life-altering experience. It brought renewed faith and I thank all my Malaysian brothers and sisters for this. 

Again, this time, in GE13, IMHO, Malaysians have come together for each other. We are campaigning among friends and families, volunteering for civic duties, keeping each other informed and rallying together for common beliefs. In fact, it’s simply amazing how we have pulled together despite the odds and I am so proud to be part of Team Malaysia.

On May 6, win or lose, we are well on our way to a civil society-led democracy. Today, there are the threats of phantom voters, irregularities in the electoral process and a restricted mass media. Tomorrow will bring new challenges when “Tanda Putera” is aired. The next few days will see a slew of surprises as the ruling party makes its last pitch using the politics of fear, religion and race. I’ve seen it and lived it before.

Enough is enough. When I cast my vote this Sunday, it will be because I believe that my child will have a future in this nation. If in Bersih 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 I was dangerously armed with a mineral water bottle and salt to overturn the rule of BN; this time it will be my vote on two flimsy slips of paper.