As the new year begins, many of us will be praying for God's blessings. Let us also not forget the poor and the marginalised communities. This year particularly, I hope God will truly bless the poor as our leaders do not seem to care for them.

I also pray that the saying what goes round will come around will come true for those in power. Perhaps with suffering experienced first hand, our leaders will remember the people they are supposed to look after.

I recently heard from my father's doctor that he will be leaving government service for the private sector. Immediately, what came to my mind was this thought: 'Not another good doctor! How our leaders have failed us'.

You cannot blame the good doctor for leaving as his pay is really bad for the amount of work he does. Moreover, if he wants to get a promotion, he has to go for a two to three week course and sit for an exam (Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan) that has no relevance to his profession.

How can they expect senior doctors like him to do that? These dedicated professionals don't even have the time for their own family what with the amount of work they have to do. And to expect them to study for a totally irrelevant exam?

Moreover, this exam only gives the doctor permission to apply for a promotion - it is not automatic. For whoever came up with this ridiculous PTK exam for the medical people, I sincerely hope that what goes round comes around for them.

Secondly, the level of corruption amongst our leaders is appalling. For example, we now have the National Service for students who have completed Form 5. It is a big failure and everyone knows that but our leaders still want this scheme because their cronies are supplying the uniforms, building the camps, catering the food, etc.

Can you imagine how much money has already been made? The money could have been used to give government doctors, especially the experienced seniors, a better pay to keep them in the service.

In the end, the poor are going to lose out and I feel really sad about it. Why should the world be so unfair to them? Many never asked to be poor. I can't see good things happening in the future - a very pessimistic view of our country no doubt, but a very real one.

Our leaders will continue to play out the poor and will continue to do so until the table are turned against them. That is why prayer for the new year is that the saying 'what goes around come around' materialises for certain segments of society.