Stop press! Malaysia is not for sale

Caretaker Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor has not done himself or his political party any good by his remarks that the DAP is chauvinist and led by Christian evangelists.

While it may be true several DAP leaders are Christian, not necessarily evangelists, why is that a problem? Such scaremongering is demeaning of a leader in a multi-religious country and whose religious arm of the government is active in proselytising.

Will Tengku Adnan also warn the civil servants about his own government which has several Christian ministers? The MCA too has Christian leaders, past and present. Will he be warning against them and asking the voters, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, not to vote for BN Christian politicians?

You don’t want a leader to destroy your country with subversive talk. Leaders are to build bridges for the country’s diverse communities to reach out to one another, not erect psychological walls of suspicion and fear to keep them apart. Leaders who divide the nation into ‘they’ and ‘us’ - whether on grounds of race, sex or religion - are not worthy to lead a diverse nation like Malaysia.

The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in a statement said the re-delineation of the electoral boundaries is "widely seen to be unfair, biased and disproportionate." It is stating the obvious. If Suhakam had evaluated the entire electoral process, they might have reached a similar finding.

For example, Bersih complains of illegal payments by the caretaker government. Will the Election Commission and MACC act on the complaint? Ooi Kok Hin writes a compelling article supported by convincing facts in his article, ‘How GE14 is being rigged through redelineation’.

GE14 is shaping up to be not only a decisive political event but a moral war between good and evil. While individual politicians and political parties wrestle for power, the nation’s future rests on the integrity of governance. The moral life of the government is at stake. In the final analysis, morality makes or breaks a government.

Government is not owned by any political party. It exists for good, not evil. The caretaker government, when in office, has gutted the government. Never has the moral leadership in government plumbed to such depths. Having the US Department of Justice (DOJ) cite the country for the ‘worst case of kleptocracy’ that remains unpunished and unresolved is reason enough for a new government to clean up the mess and remove the country’s infamy.

PKR whistleblower Rafizi Ramli (photo) is a national hero in the eyes of the public and he has earned their deep respect and gratitude. The future of the Malays and the country lies with young, honest and competent leaders like him, Tony Pua, Nurul Izzah, Hannah Yeoh and many unnamed others. These young and decent leaders are worthy of governing the country with the combined talents and experience of older leaders such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim. 

Government, besides punishing criminals, is for delivering justice and public services to the people. But when it is allegedly hijacked by a cartel of white-collar criminals, expect a public backlash. Imagine the 40 thieves claiming their leader Alibaba is innocent. It is like Goebbels saying Hitler loved the Jews.

Lost of moral compass

When a political party has lost its moral compass, it will say and do anything to cling to power. It has a seared conscience or none left. A government cast adrift cannot fire the nation with bright ideas and produce results because it is unable or unwilling to rein in the wrongdoers and loudmouths. Platitudes, promises, pledges and payments won’t do.

One scandal like the 1MDB is enough to sink any government but they have a string of scandals and act as if nothing is remiss. Not only Najib Razak the leader of 1MDB but he was the country leader, was he not? But where was the leadership? And they want the people to give them another go. To do what?

A government that does not punish wrongdoers is not fit for the job. It only encourages more criminal conduct. Corrupt leaders are a country’s worst enemy and that is why countries like China and North Korea execute their corrupt with a bullet in the back of their heads, not that I think stolen money is worth a life.

Former South Korea president Park Geun-hye has been sentenced to 24 years jail for corruption. Former French President Nikolas Sarkosky could face up to 10 years jail after he was charged of fraudulent accounting and receiving a donation of US$80 million from Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Meanwhile, former Brazilian president Lula de Ignacious Souza can expect to spend 12 years in jail for corruption and money-laundering.

When all is considered, the saving of Malaysia is not only about politics but something far, far more important. The integrity of governance in the country is at stake. Without integrity, governance is a sham.

For the first time in the country’s history, there is an alternative coalition ready and able to take over the government and do a proper job. They have cut their teeth in the state governments they have governed in Penang and Selangor. Then there is the addition of Mahathir, Mukhriz and Muhyiddin Yassin, all experienced in governance.

Honesty is the best policy and the soul of a nation depends on honest politicians doing an honest job when given the reins of government. It is not for elected politicians to squander public money. Corrupt politicians ought to be more circumspect about their corrupt ways, if not for the sake of the country, at least for the sake of their descendants.

Malaysia is not for sale, not to corrupt politicians or foreigners.

GE14 will come and go but let it be the historic day voters show the corrupt politicians the door, whoever they are, regardless of the political flags they fly. GE14 is the day of reckoning for the kleptocrats, the liars and hijackers of good governance who want to sell out their nation. It is the day to break the curse of corruption and give the people hope.

Malaysia needs an era of undaunting government to rebuild. The time is now. May God deliver Malaysia from evil. God bless Malaysia.

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STEVE OH is the author of the novel ‘Tiger King of the Golden Jungle’ and composer of the musical of the same title. He believes in good governance and morally upright leaders. - Mkini