We’re a nation of unfinished business

 

Look at the Malaysia of today, and the multicultural Malaysia left behind by the British. What has 63 years of Umno (Umno to Umno Baru to Bersatu) done to the country?

Malaysia is not "Truly Asia." Malaysia is a confused country with a long list of unfinished business, where multiculturalism is confined to tourist brochures.

Let's start with education. Children of both the elite Malays and non-Malays don't have an uncertain future. They attend international schools and foreign universities, perhaps on a government scholarship despite their parents being able to fund their studies. These privileged children are happy to return to Malaysia, because many have a guaranteed place on the board of directors of papa's crony firm.

They don't have to scour newspaper advertisements for job vacancies. When papa plays golf, he will mention to his buddy that his child is looking for a job. No interviews, no curriculum vitae necessary, no problem.

The New Economic Policy (NEP) is a failed experiment and affirmative action policies have made many Malays "lemak" (weak and spineless). Without the competitive edge, they fail to learn about perseverance, tenacity and resilience.

If we were to be rid of political contacts and influence, our economy would be more vibrant instead of being filled with cronies and elite families.

Businessmen know that time is money. They are aware of the various tactics to delay their business' opening. The fire department will claim that there is something wrong with the fire escape, or the local council will claim that the notice board is of the wrong size, or the local authority will claim that it is not halal to use certain greetings.

Out comes the grease money to quickly approve the various permits. The guidelines have been adhered to scrupulously but this is Malaysia, where a visit to the MACC may backfire on the complainant.

We have more unfinished business in other areas of society.

How many court cases will there be like that of the felon Najib Abdul Razak? A conviction has been made, but he is treated like royalty, with his motorcade, press coverage and a public presence? The ordinary rakyat does not see justice being done. Someone stole their money, that someone is still free.

In the tragedy of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim's death, the video of a blemish-free, bare-chested Adib being whisked to hospital was shown, but the bigots claimed that he was beaten black and blue. The evidence of a physics lecturer was taken as the gospel truth but the findings of a pathologist were swept aside.

In the end, the police were detailed to hunt for two or three assailants who had allegedly assaulted Adib. More unfinished business. The bigots refused to accept that in the pandemonium of the riot, Adib's colleague reversed the van into him, accidentally.

There is more unfinished business with Indira Gandhi's missing daughter, the disappearance of pastors Raymond Koh, Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth, and the Perlis activist, Amri Che Mat.

One of the convicted murderers of a Mongolian model, managed to escape to Australia.

Alleged child molesters roam free, some of whom are in positions of power either in industry, the legal or medical profession, the business world or the government.

Of two men in a sodomy case, the one with the wrong political ties is tried and persecuted, but the other is feted.

Azmin Ali (left) and Anwar Ibrahim

Maids die or are tortured, but few employers are punished. When a river, the soil or atmosphere is polluted, a lot of noise is made, then silence. Buses crash resulting in many deaths, but the companies continue to operate and no one is jailed. The list of unfinished business grows.

When a school burns down and official neglect and irresponsibility is alleged to be a contributory factor, the public is told that it was God's will. When a child in a religious school dies from the injuries which worsened after his beating, a rat was blamed.

Seven Orang Asli children ran away after being abused in their school, but no teacher or warden was prosecuted, despite the death of five of the escaping children.

A model is found at the bottom of a skyscraper but the authorities claim that she had consumed drugs and slipped-off the window ledge. The couple with whom she spent the night fled the country, leaving the victim's family without closure. Other models have died in suspicious circumstances but no one has been found guilty. More unfinished business.

The Wang Kelian scandal of human trafficking and mass graves is another unfinished business despite the promise by the then home minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, to present the findings in parliament.

Two years ago, a scandal rocked the Penang Road Transport Department (RTD) when it was found that over 70 officials had been bribed to ignore the illegal acts of lorry drivers and companies. Are the RTD's of other states squeaky clean? More unfinished business.

Nine years ago, a mosque official alerted the authorities to corruption in the mosque where he was preaching. He was imam Hoslan Hussain, who threw his shoes at the judge who refused to hear his testimony. More unfinished business about corruption in a very sensitive area. Perhaps, it is best to let sleeping dogs lie.

The only way to get rid of this long list of unfinished business is to get rid of leaders who lack the guts to be firm. Your chance is in GE15, which will probably be sooner than you think.

Umno Baru is preparing for the most important battle of its life, to try and reclaim its place at the top.

Will Pakatan Harapan politicians stop its internal squabbles and present a united front? Have they the guts to take a firm stand and quickly clean the country of theft and corruption?

We need a decisive leader who is not afraid to say the unpalatable truths.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter. - Mkini

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