DO WE DESERVE TO BE RULED BY CROOKS BECAUSE OF OUR OWN DEFAULTS?

Umar Mukhtar

All the excitement that we may have been ripped off assumes that we know what is good for us. Maybe it is not good to be ripped off but the real question is do we really care about it that much? Maybe we do care but not as much as having to share the word Allah with infidels, the fear over the unlikely rise of a non-Malay ruling government, or the anxiety that our religion may no longer be in a paramount position in the country.

You can jump up and down with indignation that billions of ringgit have been stolen, but that’s not sand in their soup. There are more important things in life it seems. If you don’t believe that, hold an election tomorrow and see what our choices are. Even the DAP subscribe to that. What corruption? Democracy is about choice. The right to be idiots is still a choice.

The situation is made worse when any action to punish the culprits for the theft may result in the loss of our political supremacy. Sure he may be a thief, but he is our thief. The Americans and Europeans subscribe to that; otherwise, how would you explain Allende of Chile, Ngo Dinh Diem of Vietnam or Mobutu of the Congo? So my leader, right or wrong.

Is there a set of universal values applicable to all nations? There is none of that, only strategic interests. Otherwise, Marcos would not have been a darling of the Americans, until the Filipinos spoke out loud.

That brings us to our second default. Is the dissenting minority capable of strategically articulating issues clearly in order to convert the rest of the population With no baggage? Is it possible that the baggage inhibits dissenters from arguing freely? Is it the true intention of dissent to remove opportunities for abuse? What happens when you get to be in power? No more chance to make money?

Is the people’s interest the interest of our political parties? Are they all-out in their efforts on behalf of the people? Maybe there are other paramount issues that subordinate the effort for a clean government. Chauvinism, maybe?

The odds are against their success. I hear that all the time. It is difficult when it is not a level playing field. I had thought that was the way it was in all significant victories throughout human history. They don’t make it easy for you to remove them. But remove them we must.

If you are not good enough to overcome the challenges, is that therefore an acceptable excuse to continue living under crooks? So, for as long as idiots like our present opposition leaders are paid to safeguard our interests, we will continue to live under crooks? Or do we outsource the task to another crook?

When the ball is neatly placed by other people to be in front of an open goal, we don’t even have the strikers to kick the ball into goal. Instead of strategically planning on how to kick that ball we are hung up on the obstacles that are in our minds to justify why we can’t even score in front of an open goal.

Isn’t it about time these jokers disappear from the political scene and give others a chance?