MORE THAN THE POLITICIANS…

I really wanted to believe that we have developed political maturity in the country. I notice that many citizens now blog and talk about politics than never before. One notices that there has been more protests and street demonstrations beginning from the time when Tun Dr Abdullah Badawi was PM. One may be tempted to equate this with more democratic participation by the citizens.

But my feelings and my mind do not seem to be too convinced with all this. At the best, I think that we are still maturing, albeit very slowly. The disturbing fact is that I feel we are maturing from an “infant stage to a preteen stage”. We, the citizens, are still very much mesmerized by our political “mummies and daddies”. Hence, we still react and dance to the political stage that our politicians erect for us.

Is the stage always set up by the politicians and we simply partake as puppets and pawns? If so, this cannot be democracy but manipulocracy.

Can’t we be mature enough to demolish that stage and say: “we do not like nor want to play that game anymore? That we are not political preteens but mature adult citizens who can think for ourselves?” What? We are scared that we will be send to stand in the corner and that we will not get the candies and the toys? Of course, citizens who will sell their soul for short term gains will be there forever as they have been since time immemorial.

But the majority of the silent, good, decent albeit politically inactive citizens suffer because of these sell-out citizens. Here, we need Raperas again with nation-orientated programs with long lasting objectives that plant good seeds for the future.

It is worrisome when the death of a political secretary of a political party is turned into a political issue. It is downright irresponsible and despicable for politicians to do this….but you can expect such behavior from most of them. As Dato Hishammudin Onn said investigation will be conducted and it must be conducted.

Due to the publicity given and the potential manipulation by certain parties, this investigation must be transparent, speedy and just (as should always be). At the same time, the standard operating procedures of the MACC should also be reviewed. The institution’s credibility must be restored if it is to operate as a respectable agency to weed out corruption and to be seen as corruption free itself. MACC has an important role to play and hence it must be “cleaned up” of any hangovers from the BPR days.


But let us remind ourselves that more than politicians, it is us that have to play that active role in safeguarding this Nation for the future generations. We have to develop citizens into Raperas.


PEACE !