Change

 

Ask yourselves if a transformation has really taken place. Is your life better today than it was 5 years ago? If it is then by all means vote BN again. 

Krishna M Singh 

About 2 years ago there was a general election in Singapore. The ruling PAP won handsomely. However, there was a clear message that the voters were not happy at how things were being run. The PAP lost a few seats but there was a higher percentage of votes for the opposition. That was enough for the PAP to stand up and take note. The immediate effect was that LKY and a few ministers lost their jobs. And the PAP continues to listen and make some serious changes to their previously “rammed down the throat” policies.

Five years ago there was a general election in Malaysia. The ruling BN lost quite badly but managed to retain a majority in the Parliament. What did BN do? For a year UMNO moved to remove Abdullah Badawi as though he was alone responsible for the losses. Then Najib took over and promised big changes. There have been a lot of slogans and billboards repeating them. There have been transformation programs which have been declared a great success. A lot of vote buying giveaways have been taking place.

Ask yourselves if a transformation has really taken place. Is your life better today than it was 5 years ago? If it is then by all means vote BN again.

For 22 years Mahathir ruled this country. Every institution of government was made UMNO pliant. There was no more fair play. Accusations of abuse were swept under the carpet with the reasons which treated us common folks as fools who will accept anything. Then ask yourselves:

Are the police and MACC working with an even hand and without fear or favour?

Are all other institutions of government – the courts, the EC and government departments working independently as they should?

Has firm action been taken against those who have abused their power or acquired wealth which cannot be accounted?

Year in and year the Auditor General has revealed huge wastages. Has that been plugged?

If your answers to the above questions are in the positive then by all means vote for BN.

For me, the answers tell me that it is time for change. BN is not capable of carrying out any change. Changes will hurt those who are and were in power. Those in power have blurred lines between what is personal and what is official. Everything is being treated as bapak punya harta.

Mahathir is made adviser to Petronas and his son gets the rights to sell petrol at KLIA. Mahathir uses the Petronas plane to travel at will.

Abdullah Badawi is made adviser to MAS so that his brother can bleed MAS selling expensive satay.

Lifelong plundering carries on!

If BN really has been a good government it does not have to give all these gifts to get your vote. We will judge them on their performance and vote for them. They have to resort to these low cost tactics because they know they have failed.

We have to change that. We have to have a new government which will respect the independence of the institutions of government. Power must be in the hands of the people. We cannot allow anyone to force known corrupt leaders down our throat. We can see that from the list of those nominated to run in the coming election. We cannot allow a situation where the people of Kuala Lumpur vote out the BN candidates but Kuala Lumpur is being run by a BN controlled DBKL.

About a week ago a senior customs officer with integrity, who has helped stamp out corruption, was mercilessly gunned down in broad daylight. This is a frightening development where the corrupters are gunning down those who are standing up to them. That is how deep rooted corruption is in our system and UMNO is not the one that can stamp it out.

I also fear that the following will happen if BN comes into power after GE 13:

1. Goods and services tax will be implemented
2. In Selangor project Langat 2 will commence at a great cost which will be passed on to the consumers;
3. AES, which was suspended, will be resumed;
4. More crony contracts will be dished out so that there is another 5 years to clean out the treasury.

The voters must know that they are getting these goodies from BN for one reason only. There is an opposition in place which has and is mounting a serious challenge to their long years in power. We must always keep BN on edge by voting for a strong opposition. Vote for Change.