Step aside, let young blood lead the way

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad refuses to give up his political crusade in the belief that people, especially the elderly, still want him around regardless of his ancient look.

The former prime minister, who came back twice to rule, seems to think that only he can save the country from further sliding down the drain. He gives the impression that he is the saviour whose new race-based party will fight for the Malays until the very end.

But this very old man has lost sight of the reality on the ground: the youths are the ones who will determine the future course of the country. They are the ones who must indeed step forward and rewrite the story of modern Malaysia.

Times have changed. The politics of the old is no longer relevant. For far too long the country had been held hostage to geriatric ideologies and doctrines that had caused deep division and enmity.

All the ageing political parties, though well established and experienced, have outlived their usefulness and should gracefully bow out of the political stage without making a scene.

The country has had enough of their policies and soundbites that did little good over the last few decades. Malaysia should by now be thriving in the glow of Vision 2020.

But the vision, as dreamed in the mind of Mahathir, came and vanished like the morning mist, leaving the nation no better than it was before.

There are already rumblings of discontent with the politics of the past. Thus, when Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (above) stood up to lead the fight for a new political order, he got the attention of the youths of Malaysia.

The Muar MP had the gumption to initiate a political movement that will be driven mostly by young blood. He is moving with the times and the timing is right.

The nation needs, now more than ever, an infusion of bold ideas, race-blind policies and realistic goals. Above all, the country needs a sea-change in the political system.

But the old guard will not go away without a fight. After years of enjoying - and abusing their mandate - these crusty, ossified, unyielding, power-crazed leaders will attempt to sabotage the rise of the new order.

Syed Saddiq would be made to look like an immature "boy" who would ruin the country if he held the sceptre of power. He would be run down, mocked, even probably assaulted in a concerted and coordinated campaign to stop his Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) bandwagon.

Scare tactics and doom-mongering would be employed to the fullest, using race and religion as the principal tools of propaganda to advance parochial arguments.

But Syed Saddiq has raised the flag and given hope to a dejected nation severely bruised by soul-sapping scandals and noxious political manoeuvrings. All these worn-out, morally bankrupt warriors of old would do well to see the writing written large on the wall: you are not wanted anymore.

If Syed Saddiq is sincerely willing to work hard to build a new Malaysia, where all are treated equally with only one Malaysian identity to show, the youths of the country should rally around his standard and give his political movement a chance to prove its worth.

Malaysians are generally fed up with the antics of politicians of the old school who are dragging the country backwards, instead of pushing it to new frontiers of development. Evidently, their approach and style of governance are flawed.

Syed Saddiq has started the ball rolling and the youths of Malaysia must take up the challenge to see this bold experiment come to fruition. In the past, the old guard had taken care of the welfare of the young people.

Now, under the new order, the young leaders will take good care of the elderly, including doddering politicians who have failed the country.

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PHLIP RODRIGUES is a retired journalist. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.