Education Policy: What is BN's and PR's policy if either wins the GE13?

Education, needless to say is the cornerstone of a country's development and even civilisation. It is an investment into our children to make them good persons, good and useful citizens. WE cannot look at education merely to produce technocrats but weak and valueless human beings.

It is no secret that almost most will agree that generally the education standards in our country, from primary to tertiary is low. We have been having inconsistent education policies for the past many years that has caused major damage to the education of our kids.

Again, I cannot be accused as being excessive when I say that much of our education policy is weak and not well thought out because it has been unnecessarily politicised rather than being focused on quality and proper objectives. The standard of English in our country has declined to an embarrassing low due to politics interfering into our education policy making process. We produce graduates who seem to lack the ability to think and reason.

IF we look at the Government schools, it is plagued with all sorts of problems such as gangsterism, truancy, low quality teachers and school environment. Too much religion in school, especially "Islam", instead of focusing on academic excellence has also contributed in wastage of resources. We seem to lack commitment to give our children the best education possible in the best environment possible.

We may have KLCC and world class physical facilities at KLIA, but our government schools, especially the National Type schools are generally pathetic. This probably explains why there is an increase in private schools. One barometer of how good our schools are is to ask this question: how many of our Ministers and MPs have their own children studying in Government schools?

After more than 50 years, we still have not come up with a solution to the separation and the consequences of having sekolah kebangsaan and vernacular schools.

With all the above problems, wouldnt the Rakyat like to know what is the education policy and plans that BN or PR have before they cast their vote?

Peace !

Video: General Election 13 Debate on People Issues !

Sorry...this is not on GE13. That I am still wishing for!

This is the US Presidential Candidate Debate.



Peace !

What values are our political leaders bringing to their job?

Values are very important. Values will affect the vision and the decision of our leaders. We must be careful to know what values the leaders we want to lead us have.

In our country, under the generally out-dated and archaic political culture that the majority of our politicians still cling onto, public expression of personal values are not allowed. For this reason, the voters and the public cannot know for sure what values each of them have. For this reason also, the kind of values that are being presented by political parties seem very superficial and artificial, some of which sound like they have been created by some political strategists or image consultants.

We have heard many times, some of our political leaders utter the term"Asian values" and then only to forget about it completely until another political occasion requires it. There had also been situations where "Asian values" had been manipulated by shameful politicians to sneakily justify oppression, especially denial of basic human rights. 

Likewise, the term "Islam" and "Islamic values" have been subjected to tremendous abuse, manipulation and trickery by politicians purely for political purposes with total disregard to the sanctity and right to personal faith. In this regard, quite a number of paid clerics and religious "gurus" shamefully abet their political masters in the manipulation and abuse.  This manipulation and abuse of the term "Islam" and "Islamic values" becomes easy for the politicians because they are either backed by mass supporters or by the very culture in our country that has allowed the politicisation of Islam. 

Terms like "Islam" and "Islamic values" have often been abused to condone denial of basic human rights, oppression and denial of women's rights. The voice that pleads that Islam upholds human rights, women's rights and abhors oppression of any sort is drowned by the smooth operation of the politicians and the shouts of their abettors - the paid clerics and the paid mobs.

Islam has become so politicised in the country such that the right and duty of the individual Muslim to practice his faith as he understands it has been taken away by the politicians in this country. Any cleric or scholar or thinker that denounces this control of faith is either pushed into oblivion or equally oppressed in ways that are possible. Alternative views are not only not allowed but often shout down by supporters organised and approved by hidden hands from above.

So, in the scenario of artificiality, superficiality and hypocrisy that has become part of our political culture, what are the values that these politicians hold? Don't you or the voters want to know or has the time not come yet in Malaysia to understand the impact of this question?

I look at both the Pakatan and the BN political parties and when I critically assess them, I am unable to determine with certainty what positive and encouraging values they represent. Often times, they all seem to say one thing today and another the next. Often times, their general behaviour is not consistent with the rare fine speeches they make. More often, their speeches frighten me to think that those are the values they represent.

DO they respect basic human rights? 

Do they even respect the dignity of a human being? Do they understand what "dignity" is? 

I do not know because I do not really know what values they actually hold.

Peace!

President Obama's 2012 DNC Speech Video And Full Text Transcript

"Michelle, I love you. The other night, I think the entire country saw just how lucky I am. Malia and Sasha, you make me so proud.but don't get any ideas, you're still going to class tomorrow. And Joe Biden, thank you for being the best Vice President I could ever hope for. Madam Chairwoman, delegates, I accept your nomination for President of the United States.

The first time I addressed this convention in 2004, I was a younger man; a Senate candidate from Illinois who spoke about hope -- not blind optimism or wishful thinking, but hope in the face of difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty; that dogged faith in the future which has pushed this nation forward, even when the odds are great; even when the road is long.

Eight years later, that hope has been tested -- by the cost of war; by one of the worst economic crises in history; and by political gridlock that's left us wondering whether it's still possible to tackle the challenges of our time. I know that campaigns can seem small, and even silly. Trivial things become big distractions.   Serious issues become sound bites.

And the truth gets buried under an avalanche of money and advertising. If you're sick of hearing me approve this message, believe me -- so am I. But when all is said and done -- when you pick up that ballot to vote -- you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation.   Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington, on jobs and the economy; taxes and deficits; energy and education; war and peace -- decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and our children's lives for decades to come. On every issue, the choice you face won't be just between two candidates or two parties. It will be a choice between two different paths for America. A choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future.

Ours is a fight to restore the values that built the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known; the values my grandfather defended as a soldier in Patton's Army; the values that drove my grandmother to work on a bomber assembly line while he was gone.

They knew they were part of something larger -- a nation that triumphed over fascism and depression; a nation where the most innovative businesses turned out the world's best products, and everyone shared in the pride and success -- from the corner office to the factory floor. My grandparents were given the chance to go to college, buy their first home, and fulfill the basic bargain at the heart of America's story: the promise that hard work will pay off; that responsibility will be rewarded; that everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules -- from Main Street to Wall Street to Washington, DC.

I ran for President because I saw that basic bargain slipping away. I began my career helping people in the shadow of a shuttered steel mill, at a time when too many good jobs were starting to move overseas. And by 2008, we had seen nearly a decade in which families struggled with costs that kept rising but paychecks that didn't; racking up more and more debt just to make the mortgage or pay tuition; to put gas in the car or food on the table. And when the house of cards collapsed in the Great Recession, millions of innocent Americans lost their jobs, their homes, and their life savings -- a tragedy from which we are still fighting to recover. Now, our friends at the Republican convention were more than happy to talk about everything they think is wrong with America, but they didn't have much to say about how they'd make it right. They want your vote, but they don't want you to know their plan. And that's because all they have to offer is the same prescription they've had for the last thirty years:

"Have a surplus? Try a tax cut."

"Deficit too high? Try another."

"Feel a cold coming on? Take two tax cuts, roll back some regulations, and call us in the morning!"

Now, I've cut taxes for those who need it -- middle-class families and small businesses. But I don't believe that another round of tax breaks for millionaires will bring good jobs to our shores, or pay down our deficit. I don't believe that firing teachers or kicking students off financial aid will grow the economy, or help us compete with the scientists and engineers coming out of China. After all that we've been through, I don't believe that rolling back regulations on Wall Street will help the small businesswoman expand, or the laid-off construction worker keep his home.

We've been there, we've tried that, and we're not going back. We're moving forward. I won't pretend the path I'm offering is quick or easy.   I never have.

You didn't elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades. It will require common effort, shared responsibility, and the kind of bold, persistent experimentation that Franklin Roosevelt pursued during the only crisis worse than this one.

And by the way -- those of us who carry on his party's legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government program or dictate from Washington. But know this, America: Our problems can be solved. Our challenges can be met. The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place. And I'm asking you to choose that future". 

The Video

Oppa Gangnam Style Rocks the World !!! So did Kolaveri !!! How???

Is it not amazing how talents and creativity can infect the world when politicians and religionists  do not inhibit them?

This is from Korea - everybody is dancing to it and making up their own versions too!!. In less than two months it has become the most talked about new swag. It has more than 120 million hits of Youtube and increasing by millions in few hours. As of this writing, it gets more than a million view per hour making it currently the number 1 Youtube music video based on the amount of song traffic. This is more than the biggest artists in the world namely Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and One Direction; It has been parodied by different people all over the world; It has garnered hundred thousands of likes in facebook, almost a million tweets and majority of people agree that it has not yet reached its peak of success yet. People even predict it will be the first video to reach a billion hits on Youtube. (http://arielparconjr.com/2012/09/09/oppa-gangnam-style-the-rise-of-k-pop/)



Here is the original song - Oppa Gangnam Style.



And this one is from India - Why this Kolaveri DI. Youtube honoured this track with a gold award for getting the most number of hits within a few weeks, reportedly almost 5 million in just few weeks! It has been sung in many languages all over the world ever since.



And here is the original song:



Here is the "Chinese version". Youtube and you will it in Arabic, English, Spanish and so on!



Talents ! = when those with "power" stay away..:)

Peace!

Stamping on Najib's Face ???

While we celebrate and welcome freedom of expression (which we must protect), it is equally important to ask ourselves whether we will condone its abuse.

Recently, we have the incidents of some people stamping on YAB Datuk Seri Najib's photo. This is also clear from the "Janji DiCapati" clip. Is this the kind of freedom of expression that that will help the development of parliamentary democracy?

The production of the song itself is arguably creative and provides a different view, rightly or wrongly. That, I have no problem. 

However, under the current general political, economic and social conditions in the country, I cannot agree that it is necessary to stamp on the face of the Prime Minister of the country who is where he is democratically and constitutionally. Freedom of expression should not offend the sanctity of parliamentary democracy. Freedom of expression, on the other hand, should uphold the institution of parliamentary democracy.

When  an incident involving YAB Tuan Lim Guan Eng's son was politicised some time back, I wrote on this blog chastising such methods of politicking. I pleaded with rational citizens not to allow the development of such political behaviour in this country. 

Likewise, I am now pleading not to allow politics to undermine the workings of a parliamentary democracy. We have to learn to respect institutions that have been constitutionally set up. 

Critique and undermining are two different things altogether.

Peace !

Happy Merdeka - Are you truly merdeka???

Without the slightest of doubt, we are certainly happy that we have been freed from British rule. This means that we are now free to decide the future of our own Nation and how to distribute the Nation's resources.

We are also free to decide how we want the Nation to be developed and how we, as citizens want to be developed into human beings.

But....

Who is the "we" that is free to decide on the future of this Nation? Is it you and me, the common folks in the country or is it merely the elitist class together with the capitalists?

What is the point of being free from the bondage of British rule only to be enslaved by the elitists, the capitalists and the elite religious class?

Is that the kind of freedom or merdeka that your forefathers imagined for you?

That, at the end of the day, you life should be confined to the dictates of the capitalists who will decide how and where you live? AT the mercy of the "economy" designed by the wealthy elitists which makes you a slave to the banks, to the mega supermarkets (that determine how and what you eat) and so on?

That at the end of the day, if you are fated to belong to the low income group, that you shall be housed in pigeon holes called low cost flats and that too crowded in one area?

That at the end of the day, even how you want to relate to your own creator will be decided, not by your own conscience, but by salaried religious officers? And often times under pain of punishment by the law for not confirming to the State's definition of what your religion should be and how it should be?

Can you be truly merdeka when you cannot even decide what's good for your own soul?

I am happy that this Nation is free from British rule.

I only wish we can be free to be human beings.

Peace and Happy Merdeka.

Salam Aidil Fitri !

Lovely voice and so cute - Lego House Cover

Stephen Doss Chats With Rapera

RaPeRa chats with Mr Stephen Doss, the President of the International Social Media Chambers about the emergence of two party system in Malaysia.


You can watch it at the link here  http://www.mobtv.my/talkshow-1724.html

Tun Dr Mahathir Chats with Rapera

Tun Dr Mahathir's take on the liberalisation policies, debate culture, election prospects and other interesting issues.

Click here to view the interview http://www.mobtv.my/talkshow-1643.html

You are only FREE to the extent of information MADE AVAILABLE to you !!!

Citizens live their lives unaware they are constantly short changed by those in power - both the political masters and the religious gurus.

Lets take a look at the political masters. They control the entire "infrastructure and the environment" under which you are allowed to live. They do this by the policies and the laws that they make, mostly without the knowledge of the majority, within the corridors of the select elite few. You only get to hear and most of the time, experience the policies and laws when you become aware that they are affecting you.

Whatever laws and policies that are announced are announced concisely enough so that not much information on the long term consequences are divulged to you. Much information is hidden from you so that you are not free enough to evaluate the policies and the laws passed.

Look at the mainstream news. Read the pronouncements of those in power. Do they divulge information that is useful to the well being of the Nation and the People?

Every piece of news is selected, edited and crafted to give you just the information that is required to shape the perception that they want you to have. Can you imagine what amount of information you have to form conclusions on important issues affecting the Nation through the main stream media.

The more information you have, the more freedom you have to decide on the fate of this Nation. The more information the People have, the less powerful the political masters become.

Freedom of information is power to the People and this is something no politician will like!

The internet has given much power to the People because to a very large extent, it still allows expression of facts and ideas without much control. But be warned - this may not be for long. It hurts the power of the political masters because it allows ideas and facts alternative to theirs.

Lets now look at the religious gurus or masters. Directly and indirectly this group has always presented themselves as the most knowledgeable and therefore most qualified to speak in God's name. They also present themselves as armed with the most authentic, unquestioning and accurate divine information. They equally uphold their understanding of the scriptures as the only possible understanding and infallible at that.

Once upon a time, the dissemination of religious information was by way of mouth and once again, through the mainstream media. Hence, the ordinary people only get the mainstream information as approved and agreed upon by a select elitist mainstream few. Any views opposing these views will never get the opportunity to be published.

Hence, the general public never knows that an equally plausible alternative understanding of the scripture is possible. Hence, the general public does not really have freedom of understanding their faith due to control of information available.

This monopoly over "religious information" is largely broken down by the internet. Again, internet poses a major obstacle to those who want to hoard information.

Study the history of human civilisation and you will find that mainstream politicians and mainstream religious gurus work hand in glove. It is the political and religious elite who decide what can be believed and what cannot. They decide what information can be made available and what cannot. During the course of time, the unthinking public assumes that the "norm" is the only and right thing to believe.

Guard your access to information or it will cost you your life !

Peace !!!

Rapera chats with the Father of Environmentalists

http://www.mobtv.my/talkshow-1569.html

Imagine the People Really Controlling the Political Leaders !!!

Interesting video? Interesting idea?

That is why the internet is frightening to those in power - religious or political !!!

Peace !

Can you ever have a People's Government?

If you were to discuss this with the mainstream "intelligentsia", the direction of the discussion will be quite obvious.

Of course we have a people's government, they will say. After all, we live in a democracy - government of the people, by the people for the people.You have elections every five years and the citizens are free to vote whom they want. These MPs and the State assemblymen are the PEOPLE's representative, they will say. The system of governance is democratic and we have LAWS. All these arguments, you have heard, and you will continue to hear them forever. They are repeated so often that people believe all is well and that only the "stupid" will disagree or question the system and say, "But wait a minute....what happens after they are voted in...do I have a say in the policies or do I just have to accept it". NO!! We have never been trained to think like this.

ON the other hand, our school system teaches us to GLORIFY and DEIFY our political leaders> They have sacrificed for the Nation and for the good of the people. We can see that all of them retire very poor can we not? Poor souls...so busy serving the country that they had no time to work to even save up for thier retirement. Is that why we give them retirement  - as a reward for their sacrifice. Even their children are on state scholarship and barely surviving..poor souls. What a sacrifice, while the rest of us are living a very rich and comfortable life style!!!

SO., the question remains - can we have a people's government? I like to start with the Constitution where it guarantees fundamental freedoms which cannot be taken away by politicians by enacting oppressive laws. A human being to be able to live with dignity must have fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms. Otherwise, his life is enslaved to political masters and capitalists.

We often hear that we have a people's government because we have the fundamental freedom and fundamental rights.

Do we have the right to decide for ourselves in matters which WE deem personal or any reasonable person would deem personal?

For example, do you really enjoy the freedom to earn a living by making use of your talents and ability without discrimination?

Are the resources in this country equitable distributed or controlled by an elite few? Can you set up a moral, ethical business without much difficulty or do you have to go through oppressive laws that makes making a living a nightmare?

What about your children - are the national schools of the best quality and do the political masters think it is good enough FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN? The answer to this will determine what the leaders actually think is the worth of your children compared to theirs.

Do you even have a right to decide on your faith and how you want to practice your faith or is it subject to laws that you had no part in making? Again this will determine how free you are in deciding on your own life.

If we have a people's government, how often does the government listen to the people's plights, their problems and their woes? DO you like the public transport system? Is it good at all?

Are the streets safe for your children? Is it so difficult to make the streets safe? Or maybe your children walk around with bodyguards and a motorcade complete with sirens that it does not matter?

When was the last time you went to our local beaches which I am sure must have been maintained for you by the people's government or has it been taken over by hotels in the name of the "economy" ?

Look at the housing policy all these years - does that reflect the work of a people's government? DO you think that the best that can ever be done for the people is building low cost flats with poor facilities and socially dangerous environments? Or terrace houses stacked together with narrow roads and a small park? Would you have designed housing estates that way if YOU were the government?

Really, whether it is Pakatan or Barisan - the question is: Can we have a people's government? In my view, a truly people's government is a dream under current political thinking and system.

It will remain so until the people themselves wake up to what they are really worth.

Peace!

Is He talking about America or..Malaysia???

Citizens - Protect your Right To Express on the Internet !!!!

The ordinary citizen's voices never mattered for many, many decades in this country. Globally, the ordinary people's voices never mattered for centuries. The world was controlled and shaped by the elitists - whether political, corporate or religious.

Now that has changed. The INTERNET has given a platform to the ordinary citizen to voice his opinions, his views, his findings and his criticisms. He or she can express herself freely and present her ideas for others to share and benefit.

The Internet has also become a source of alternative news and alternative information. We are able to get the other picture and other perspectives. If once, the elitist and the politicians had the power to shape opinions and present "truths", now the "real" truth may be found on the internet. This is a big blow to the politicians and the religious elites because their power to influence has been reduced. Trust me, the politicians and the religious gurus do not take this lightly. 

They do not like this. They will find ways to restrict the common folks access to and use of the internet.

You have to guard this freedom for those in power will want to enslave you, your mind and your soul.

Peace !

Rapera on MobTV.My ! - Chat With Haris Ibrahim

Rapera on mobTV hopes to have chats with various people  who have impacted Malaysian society in some way on various issues. We do not have to agree with the views as we believe that diversity of views is good for the development of Malaysia

If you know of anyone, please email to rapera.jay@gmail.com

http://www.mobtv.my/VOD-RAPERA.html

Peace !

Civil Servants Do Not Engage, Hence The Political Government gets into trouble?

The "government administration" which is made up of the civil servants, the various agencies such as Police, Bank Negara, Elections Commissions, etc, etc goes on automatic mode irregardless of who the "political government" is. For example, even if Pakatan Rakyat was to take over the country, the same civil service wil be serving the Nation.

I cannot but help notice that the Barisan Nasional political government is increasingly being put on the defensive by various events in the country. Some of this defensive position, in my view, is a choice that BN seems to make! There are many occasions where the BN government does no have to be defensive in my view. Anyway, I digress from the point I want to make in this article.

The point i want to make here is this: that the actions of the secure civil servants affects the image and the tenure of the insecure politicians in power. Let me explain.

Firstly, most of the Rakyat deal largely with civil servants and agencies and not with the political masters. The manner in which these civil servants deal and engage with the Rakyat is what really matters to the Rakyat. If these agencies exercise their powers unreasonably or do not address the Rakyat's complaints in a reasonable manner, the Rakyat gets very frustrated. If these agencies do not respond positively by having discussions with the Rakyat on specific complaints and refuse to interpret the law in a just and helpful manner, the Rakyat gets agitated. 

Frustrations and agitations lead to feelings of helplessness. Ultimate feelings of helplessness leads to collective actions against the agencies and often, these feelings are directed against the political masters. It is this fact that the political masters must understand clearly.

Hence, in my view, when the Rakyat has a legitamate complaint against a certain law or an agency, the ruling political masters must side with the Rakyat. They cannot adopt this automatic defensive position and be pro-agency because, the political masters are expected to side with the Rakyat. It is very plain and simple. This has got to be the new thinking among the politicians if they want to remain relevant at these times where the Rakyat is increasingly becoming aware of their rights. 

However, I find it almost ridiculous and self defeating that quite often, the political ruling class goes on the defensive whenever the actions or omissions of a government agency is challenged or brought into question. When this happens, the political opposition sides with the complaining Rakyat and projects itself as the champion of the oppressed Rakyat. It is almost as if the fact of continued incumbency has infected upon them the disease of defensiveness and ousted the attitude of embracing the Rakyat's complaint.  

In this regard, I have often mentioned to my friends in the ruling class that their "takut bayang2" attitude and the incapacity to embrace new political responses creates more problems for them even in situations where they are right.

It is about time that the ruling class pay serious attention to the exercise of discretion by the civil servants and the various agencies (including the state agencies, especially that which relates to religion). Whatever they do or do not do will impact on the support the ruling class gets.

The ruling political class must learn to stop being defensive. Get new advise on the new ways to respond. The whole world is changing, you should change too if you want to remain relevant.

Peace !

Aftermath of Bersih 3.0 and The Mirror

How could I not follow Bersih 3.0 when my guys and gals from MobTV.My have so bravely gone to get live coverage for the people of Malaysia? It is after all a group of NGOs – all non-partisan – trying to exercise their right of free speech and freedom of assembly as enshrined in the constitution. Dato’ Ambiga, the co-Chairperson of Bersih and the steering committee, promised a peaceful rally. 

Rapera is all for peaceful expressions of views or even dissent by thinking and responsible citizens. However, Rapera is unambiguously against violence among its citizens. 

Around about 1pm, when I had to go off from the Bersih event, I was happy to note that the event was peaceful and almost carnival like. I was pleased, at that moment that my worst fears of confrontation had been proven wrong. I was confident that the Bersih crowd will not go beyond the barricades that was erected around Dataran Merdeka (DM). 

However, as events unfolded subsequently, my fears were unfortunately proven correct – political parties and several irresponsible quarters hijacked the Bersih event and turned it into of Malaysia’s most violent and shameful exercise of freedom of assembly.  This is why I had always held  that it is not politicians that can save the Nation but savior citizens or Raperas.

You can just youtube to see the shameful behaviours by some of our citizens, whom, I would say should be prosecuted under the law for their irresponsible and violent behaviours. At the same time, the behaviours of any police officers who had been over zealous in exercising their power should also be investigated. If this does not happen, there will be these accusations: Firstly, that politicians are exempted from the law. Secondly, that there are agent provocateurs arranged by Barisan Nasional and hence they are not prosecuted. Thirdly, that there is selective cover-up.  

Many I met seem to believe that PKR has simply hijacked the event in the most irresponsible way and are contributory to the violence and rioting that ensued. This has to be verified by PKR itself. Many people I 

know already perceive PKR as a party that would do anything to wrestle political power.

 Politicians and political parties should have just stayed out and let it be an NGO event.

In retrospect I wonder if all these unwanted events would have occurred if the Datuk Bandar had simply not interfered with Bersih’s intention to sit-in at the Dataran. I had voiced the view before that Bersih 3.0 is unstoppable and so the most logical thing for the authorities to do would be to simply provide police protection for the sit-in and for them to facilitate the event. The moment I heard that DBKL took the position that DM was off limits for Bersih 3.0, I was concerned that this may be a catalyst for disaster.  In fact, I was of the view that even the “occupydataran” by the students should have police or DBKL protection instead of the opposition they had experienced. These are after all college kids learning to exercise their right of expression, even though they may not be correct on the issue.  Such “training” if properly “guided” may make them mature Raperas in the future.  However, old methods of exercising authority seem to die hard. My views too seem to have fallen on deaf ears or “dinosaurous” ears!

On another perspective, one must also ask why was there such a huge turnout? How and why did so many people turn up for the event? On one hand, it is heart warming to note that more and more Rakyats are beginning to learn that they cannot depend on ANY politician but on themselves.

Hence, if I am the ruling party, I would not be automatically defensive. I will embrace the Rakyat’s interest in the well being of their Nation. On the other hand, if I am the Opposition, I will not automatically gloat and think that I have the support of the people. I will be wary of the way I serve in politics. This and other such events could very well be a sign that the Rakyat seriously do not trust politicians anymore, which is a good thing. This is, in my view, taking back control of the destiny of our home, our Nation.

Freedom of expression and assembly aside, the sanctity of the law must also be protected. There is simply no excuse for any irresponsible persons to destroy or to cause to destroy or incite anyone to destroy public property which, we must remember, belongs to the Rakyat. I believe that the genuine Bersih folks are peaceful. Hence, the urgency of prosecuting the culprits who have marred the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right.

May peace always prevail among us.

NEXT: Bersih 3.0 and A Cleric (God Willing)