Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution!!

By Neez18

Cronyism, nepotism, corruption… the list goes on.

Any chance of these ending in politics? I seriously doubt it. As long as humans are humans, katak croaks and mamak stinks, these elements will be omnipresent. Think America or Britain is far better? Think again. The level of corruption in those countries are so sophisticated. They get away with it most of the times because they take care of the people. The middle income class in the US is strong. Unemployment in low. Social Security is stable.

Look at our neigbor. The Lee family in Singapore has its family members directly involved in government bodies, in fact having personal stakes in some. When was the last time you heard of a significant opposition leader or party in Singapore? They probably are campaigning to their cell mates in prison! Today we see Lim Kit Siang and his crew having all the freedom to raise any issues in parliament. That is the beauty of Malaysia and the current ruling party, having the freedom of speech (Obviously we do not wish to abuse that perk like what the Sarawak Tribune did, they should pay for publishing the caricature!!) Nevertheless, this freedom is somewhat abused by many. When you go to the mamak stalls, read rogue blogs and emails, harsh criticisms are aimed at the government. It is very easy for us to make passing statements, especially negative ones, but what good does it make if no combined effort to rectify the situation is taken by us.

Any sort of criticism should be welcomed, in particular, constructive criticism. To move forward, be it a nation or individuals, it is crucial to be familiar with your surroundings, to know your strength, weaknesses and capabilities. Criticism would assist in evaluating ones position, somewhat like a check and balance situation. However, one must be able to draw the line between being familiar and causing devastation. For example, when we were in school, if a teacher were to ask a question, no one would volunteer to answer. The root cause; not because they do not know the answer, but the mentality of others that would laugh at their piers if they got the answer wrong. This does not encourage a person, in fact hindering progression and growth. That is how I view most Malaysians mind set today. They have a hawks eye sight when it comes to criticism on the government, magnify negative issues through various sources of the media, but never contributing to constructively criticize and how to improve.

Proposal 1: There must be a clearer separation of power between the Executives and Parliament. Cabinet ministers should not be a member of the parliament at the same time. Ministers should be full time at the office attending to policies and perlaksanaan dasar. Don't need to go back to constituency every weekend to ensure survival of his next term. Yes it's not realistic and it's tough to change the current system. Maybe at least have the deputies to be senators, they need to spend more at work than officiating functions!

Other than the recent love story of Datuk K and Siti, on the front page of almost every newspaper, there are policies, action taken and issues the government is taking towards building a better nation. For this to be a reality, the public must play its part. Many individuals stand saying they alone cannot make a difference to the system. If our four fathers were to have said these same words, we would still be under the British occupation. If an individual were to feel so strongly for their principals, they should do something about it. For example, aim to become a Member of Parliament and make some changes, rather than criticizing the government at the warong over a cup of teh tarik. The current government has been ruling for 50 years, a fact which foreign countries recognize, especially when compared to our neighbouring countries. The stability UMNO has brought in Malaysia through BN is an achievement in itself. We stand proud to be citizens of Malaysia, regardless of race or religion.

In our ever so hectic lives today, we tend to follow the flow of things rather than stopping to think for ourselves. I urge us Malaysians to take a step out of the square we are in and have a look around. We live in harmony, we have all the basic necessities, and we are heading towards becoming a developed nation. Without a shadow of doubt, improving the countries status and sovereignty must also be carefully visited. This duty lies on the shoulders of all Malaysians. We may be ordinary people; nevertheless we strive to do extraordinary things. Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution!!

PS: Let's go basic first, are you a registered voter?