VOTE FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE

By SH Tan

Now that the euphoria of our country’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations has subsided, the coming GE will be the next major act. We can expect a lot more “feel good” statements from the Government coming soon. It is often said that Malaysians have short memories and “mudah lupa”.

The 11th GE in March 2004 saw PM Abdullah and his team winning 91% of the parliamentary seats. There was much chest thumping by Abdullah and his troupe as they celebrated an overwhelming mandate from the rakyat. Our Malaysian Parliamentary Democracy system is such that we can have a situation where the majority of the rakyat do not vote for the BN and yet the BN can still be the ruling party. This can be achieved by creative delineation of the parliamentary constituencies. With shifting demographics and changing voting trends, delineation exercises attempt to neutralise the opposition votes in unsafe areas to favour the ruling party. The 2004 delineation exercise had been so well gerrymandered that 64% of the popular votes was able to secure the BN 91% of the parliamentary seats. That’s right, only 64% of the rakyat voted for the BN government and yet they controlled 91% of Parliament. With a near total control of Parliament, little wonder that the country’s august House has degenerated into a circus. Bills are pushed through and the imbecile conduct of some MP’s has put this country to shame. To say the quality of the debates are low is an overstatement. What can you expect when the level of the candidates who were voted in are at such low mentality level? First world country, third world mentality? It started from our lawmakers. We deserve the Government we voted for.

Summary of 21 March 2004 Dewan Rakyat Election Results
(Source: The Star and www.parlimen.gov.my)

Parties - % popular votes - No. parliamentary seats - % of seats
UMNO - 35.9 - 110 - 50
MCA - 15.5 - 31 - 14
MIC - 3.2 - 9 - 4
Gerakan - 3.7 - 10 - 4
Others - 5.5 - 39 - 18
Total BN - 63.8 - 199 - 91
Total Opposition - 36.2 - 20 - 9

Abdullah’s current cabinet lineup is a lopsided representation of the different communities in this country. UMNO controls 73% of the Cabinet. Like in Parliament, decisions are pushed through to serve the agenda of the majority UMNO party. We are often told that important issues were discussed in Cabinet meetings and decisions were made by consensus. But who makes up the consensus? MCA? MIC? Gerakan? The non-UMNO parties in the coalition are subservient to UMNO in the BN. UMNO controls the Cabinet and the Government.

What is most disappointing is that some of the non-UMNO politicians have become pathetic apologists for UMNO. The MCA has been prostituting themselves for UMNO. They are never a threat but a tool used by UMNO to garner Chinese votes. As for Gerakan, UMNO is content with them staying on in Penang. Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon already has his hands full trying to stabilize the rocking boat in Penang. Gerakan’s partners in the coalition, the MCA and UMNO, are keeping the good Tan Sri busy ensuring Gerakan is still relevant in the Malaysian political scene. That is why he remains the nice, cool, impartial politician always. I don’t even want to go into the MIC leadership. They are a class by themselves.

Abdullah’s Cabinet Line-Up (June 2007)
(Source: www.parlimen.gov.my)

Parties - No. of cabinet positions - % of cabinet positions
UMNO - 24 - 73
MCA - 4 - 12
MIC - 1 - 3
Gerakan - 1 - 3
Others - 1 - 3
Total - 33 - 100

Many of us may still remember the following statements by Abdullah during the 2004 election campaign.
- “I am the No. 1 public servant”
- “Work with me, not for me”
- “Sharing power means sharing a future together”

Strong, powerful statements that renewed hopes for some voters. Some probably gave him the benefit of the doubt after 22 years of Mahathirism. Malaysians by nature are nice gullible people.
Talk is cheap but what have changed in the last 3 years of UMNO’s rule? BN’s 2004 manifesto states among other things:.

- BN ensures that no group is neglected or left behind
- BN ensures that each community is represented
- We believe in the fair and equitable sharing of the fruits of economic growth.

Development must benefit all areas of the country and all groups. Those in need will continue to receive support. No group will be left behind.
Debates on the NEP have always been a contentious issue. It is often used by certain UMNO politicians to score political brownie points. And when the debates get hot, the ugly spectre of May 13 is often used to silence the critics. The fact remains that the NEP is here to stay for a long time, whether we like it or not. While poverty level is reported to have been reduced, the NEP itself has created thousands of elite multi-millionaires. The well connected are the immediate beneficiaries of the NEP. In the recent Budget speech on Sep 7, Abdullah announced that beginning 2008, all PLC’s (Public Listed Companies) will have to disclose in their annual financial reports their organisation’s racial composition and programs to develop Bumiputra vendors. Private enterprises are slowly pressured to throw out meritocracy to support UMNO’s NEP. I really like to see all GLC’s (Government Linked Companies) disclose their racial composition too. In the 9MP, Islamisation has been subtly sneaked in via Islam Hadhari. Social and economic development are done in the name of Islam Hadhari. Abdullah needs to leave something behind; like Vision 2020 is to Mahathir, Islam Hadhari is to Abdullah.

More pledges from Abdullah and his team:

- BN cares about your needs and will seek your views on important issues
- BN safeguards the interests of all citizens. We listen to and act on the aspirations of all groups regardless of age, gender, ethnic background and religion.
- All ethnic groups are represented in the BN. Power sharing is genuine, together with a strong spirit of togetherness and “give and take”.

Recent happenings in the country show the sincerity of Abdullah’s pledges. The media was ordered not to bring up sensitive issues. Public forums on certain issues were disallowed. A few socio-political bloggers and their families were harassed or hauled in by the authorities in an attempt to bring fear to them and to curtail their blogging. Some young UMNO political upstarts even had the audacity to tell MCA’s senior leaders to “shut up” and not bring up sensitive issues. And UMNO leadership seems to condone these UMNO young punks as they got away without even a slap on their wrists. In Parliament, certain UMNO MP’s have the habit of denigrating and insulting other ethnic groups and the female gender. Our Federal Constitution (which is the Supreme Law of our Land) has been very subtly amended over the years to suit some powerful agenda. And we are not allowed to debate these issues in public because they are “sensitive”. That is the real spirit of Barisan’s sharing of power and “give and take”.

- “Make a pledge to yourself in the name of God that I’ll not accept bribes. That I will not be bribed”
- BN will continue the all out campaign against corruption, without fear or favour.

The rakyat cannot help feeling that these are all mere “talk cock”. Corruption is so entrenched in our system that it is now done openly. The corrupted are bolder nowadays because they know the ACA has lost its credibility. It is always the standard response of “not enough evidence” or “no official reports were made”. The RM6.75B Navy patrol boat fiasco unearthed by the Auditor-General and the RM4.6B Port Klang Free Zone “ghost” town scandal are recent examples. The rakyat are still waiting for Abdullah to bring in the “big fish”, without fear or favor. I think Abdullah has failed the rakyat miserably on this one.

- BN will improve the level of personal safety of every individual
- BN will enhance the efficiency and integrity of the Police force

Despite what the authorities claim, public security is at an all time low. Violent crime has become more rampant, organized crime is rearing its head and the police force is at its lowest level of public confidence. Several high profile criminal cases were discharged because of poor prosecution. Further, it doesn’t help public confidence when there was in-fighting between different police departments and the Internal Security Ministry. So who is actually running the Police and the Internal Security? Abdullah, who is the Internal Security Minister, seems to be letting them slug it out among themselves.

Abdullah also said : “I am adamant that my agenda not be mere sweet promises or election promises. The Government that I lead has proven that we work for the rakyat and not for votes”.

The Government recently announced several mega projects.

- Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in Johore - RM42b
- Trans-Peninsular oil pipeline - RM25b
- Ipoh-Padang Besar double track railway - RM10b
- New 40km LRT link with underground tunnel in KL - RM10b
- Bakun undersea cable - RM8b
- High speed train to S’pore - RM8b
- Hulu Langgat water treatment project, Selangor - RM5b
- Pahang-Selangor interstate water transfer - RM4b
- West coast highway - RM3b
- Penang’s Second Link - RM2.7b
- Penang monorail - RM1.2b
- River cleaning project - RM1b
- Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) - RM40b and counting
- Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER) - To be announced
- Sabah Economic Corridor - To be announced
- Sarawak Economic Corridor - To be announced

Based on past history and records, many wonder how much of these billions will be wasted and how much will benefit the UMNO Putras and their cronies.

As what Abdullah said in his 2004 manifesto, “You have the choice to determine the future of the Nation. The Government you choose should be able to protect and advance the interests of all citizens”. Very well said! We deserve the Government we voted in.

The coming GE will be won by BN again with another thumping majority. There is no doubt about this. There will be more of the same “we have the people’s mandate” crap. Let your conscience decide for you if you want more of the same. Do not be fooled by rhetorics. Remember, a vote for BN is a vote for UMNO. So do the right thing. See the woods beyond the trees. Exercise your democratic rights wisely if you do not agree with what this UMNO Government is doing to this country. Cast your votes wisely. The least you could do is to ensure the future of your children and your children’s children. Their future is in our hands.

(This writer will vote for any political party that has integrity and respects all ethnicity and faith. He recalled the story of his grandfather who braved the treacherous seas to search for a better life in the Nanyang many years ago. He escaped poverty, famine and the clutches of Communism so that his next generations may have a better future. This writer is eternally grateful to his grandfather.)