Ex-ambassador, the answer is called democracy

YOURSAY | ‘When the folk can think for themselves, then your solution will materialise.’

Our national obsession with chasing shadows

Send in the Clowns: This is a very creditable article by former diplomat Dennis Ignatius, deserving great praise. It struck the reality of our present situation in this blessed land.

It is most unfortunate that our history books have mentioned nothing about a prophecy of the coming of a messiah to save the nation. All we have had to date were Satan’s messengers. The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind.

Righteous: Dennis is not making a new call, nor a more robust one, just a ‘recall’ or an echo in the dark. We are waiting, hoping and wishing for our dear ‘tuans' to see the light, a wake and rise up.

The Analyser: Dennis, all Malaysians are out of touch with reality. Malaysians generally would rather chase shadows, trivia, smut and any possible diversion rather than chase reality.

The only exception, of course, is money. They will chase that obsessively to the disregard of any standards of human endeavour.

I would suggest that much of the outrage about Najib Abdul Razak and the RM2.6 billion is more motivated by jealousy than by real outrage. Remember, this is just another in a very long list of financial outrages that have been committed against this country by all three of the major races.

Malaysians have long been deluded by visions of their own self-worth and that is largely the basis of the disunity that exists, and has existed, for hundreds of years in this country.

So if you want some unity, provide something over which Malaysians can unite. That means totally excluding race and religion and the three sorts of authoritarianism that are currently practices in Malaysia.

The answer is called democracy. An answer where every man and woman is an equal and the country is run to fulfil the aspirations of the people, not the aspirations of individuals.

At the moment, despite plenty of examples to copy, none of the political parties have anything on offer that remotely resembles democracy.

Ian2003: A realisation from Analyser’s analysis, where it is mentioned that the answer to unity is the common ground on democracy. Herein lies the root of the democracy problem that is the very Asian culture and heritage.

For millennia, we have been bound by the authoritarian culture and even in school, we are being moulded in the shape as required by authority and there is no individualism and most are herded around like sheep. Any deviation will be swiftly dealt with through discipline.

Even within a political party, an MP cannot even vote with his or her conscience and has to follow the party whip. Therefore, the solution is very far distant.

Nonetheless a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and that step is to educate the people the true management of democracy – that is, to convince the people through facts and logic by way of debate, dialog and discussion.

When the people are able to think for themselves rather than looking for direction like a true lost soul, then your solution will materialise.

Anticonmen: We are ruled by conmen whom we did not elect, or illegitimately-elected leaders who are conmen.

Swipenter: Democracy can't work. Mathematicians, peasants, and animals, that's all there is - so democracy, a theory based on the assumption that mathematicians and peasants are equal, can never work.

“Wisdom is not additive; its maximum is that of the wisest man in a given group.” - Robert A Heinlein, 1963.

Citizen No 26: An excellent analysis by Dennis Ignatius. I appreciate the well-written article and share the same thoughts with the former ambassador. Thank you.

Makkal: Politics is no longer about proper governance, it is now a spectator sport in Malaysia, where the goalposts shift every day.

Nothing unusual about dead fish in Gebeng, says dept

Mojo Jojo: If witnessing hundreds of dead fish is nothing unusual, then why don't we see this phenomenon more often?

The truth is the contrary, this incident is anything but normal and points towards something rather grave.

But if Pahang's Fisheries Department is adamant that this incident is not caused by heavily polluted waters, then I see it fit to interpret this matter in another way - a national leader in office has angered the heavens and lost the mandate to rule, if he ever had it to begin with.

Anonymous_3e79: Get independent labs to test the fish for toxicity. The identified compounds will lead to the cause of deaths of the hundreds of fishes.

The water at the beaches may not be a contaminated as the fishes might not have encountered the toxicity from the shore water.

Babylon: I used to really enjoy Balok beach. Used to think of what a nice tourist resort could be moulded there, especially near Duta Village Resort.

I dreamt of setting up a rustic bistro and relax by the beach. Now I stay away from the place.

Done: The unusual becomes usual, illogical becomes logical, bribe becomes donation, RM5 billion claimed as RM7 billion, so what’s so surprising in Malaysia?

Anna: There is nothing to worry about. How about somebody in Kuantan or Pahang arrange to send some fish for the MB, the directors-general of the Fisheries, Health, Environment or others supporting Adnan Yaacob’s assessment to eat these.

They should not worry about their families consuming these fishes. Should they? -Mkini