When will bickering politicians fight for the people?

 

From Clement Stanley

While the party leaders of Bersatu, Umno, PAS, PKR, MCA, MIC and DAP continue to exchange barbs and flex their muscles publicly against each other in an effort to show who among them reigns supreme, the general public have been left to fight their own battles and grapple with the ever-increasing cost of living.

Have any of them expressed any concerns about how the price of bread has steadily gone up? The price of white bread in Sabah is now RM5.20 a loaf.

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With the increase in the price of eggs, a simple breakfast of half-boiled eggs, bread and coffee can cost anywhere up to RM10 and more these days. But do these political leaders know this? If they do, I have not heard any of them express regret.

There are so many more examples that the average man on the street can rant about but who is listening? Certainly not those who believe that any increase in the cost of production should be borne by the consumer.

Certainly not those who believe that their profit margins for providing goods and services must remain intact. And certainly not some privileged people who take home fat salaries and allowances monthly.

Almost every day you read about the various arguments between politicians about the need to hold the 15th general election (GE15) now or next year.

You read about the endless blame games and the pointing of fingers by one political party at the other for the situation the country finds itself in.

And while they fight among themselves, the suffering members of the public go about their daily routine of struggling to survive, not knowing what tomorrow holds.

If our politicians today are so caught up in their battle of wits and are being consumed by their thirst for power, how sure are we that they have spared us a thought?

For now, it looks like bread-and-butter issues have been put on the back burner as a result of being power crazy.

As long as the government and its leaders are distracted by political issues, you can be sure that there will be attempts made by the business community to slowly but surely increase costs here and there, believing that Big Brother is too preoccupied with the battle for votes to take notice.

Sounds exaggerated? Just drop by any food outlet and you will discover just how much a cup of coffee costs these days. Even sales tax is being applied to the food you are served. And you pay because you have to eat to survive.

Wouldn’t it be nice if politicians from both sides of the political divide could, for now, channel their energy towards looking into the real situation confronting the ordinary people?

Leave politics behind and get behind your rakyat instead. Of course, this isn’t going to happen but no harm dreaming about it. - FMT

Clement Stanley is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.