A columnist with one of Malaysia's leading dailies once wrote: 'When the prime minister and cabinet ministers have to intervene in administrative problems to correct what most Malaysians regard as gross injustices, then something is not right'.

At that time, I remember wondering why the writer did not delve deeper into why our public administrative system continues to be plagued with such gross irregularities with our top government officials always so quick to criticise and lament when these lapses crop up.

After all, I thought, who has the power to bring about changes if not for these top government officials who head the ministries which in turn oversee these agencies? Indeed, who has the capabilities to take the necessary steps to rectify these faults and loopholes which pervade the system?

And yet, whenever a crisis or controversy emerges, the same melodrama is played out on the front pages of our newspapers with the same characters acting as if they have just awakened from a deep coma to decry the incompetence and unfairness of the process for which they are ultimately responsible!

Do these individuals actually see a greater advantage in maintaining the status quo of our derelict system so that they have more opportunities to play rescuers and champions of the people? Or is it simply because it's easier to call for a press conference and grandstand on issues than to take on the harder job of working through the different layers of bureaucracy to effect lasting and positive changes?

Recently, after the horrifically unjust Islamic Family Law bill was unanimously passed by the Upper House of Parliament, the Minister for Women's Affairs and Community Development valiantly reassured Muslim women that it would not be allowed to oppress them in its present form. I would have been taken in by her reasonableness if not for the fact that this same minister was conspicuously silent when this amendment was proposed, tabled, ratified, voted on, and bulldozed through Parliament.

I would have also liked to trust our perennially affable prime minister when he declared he would be looking into changing the laws of this country which have systemically and oppressed the Muslim women of this country for so long. However, since he has time and again failed to live up to his promises to eradicate corruption, revamp the police force etc, I cannot even pretend to be impressed.

So, ultimately, it seems the only hope for change lies in ourselves. There are just no short cuts. Muslim or non-Muslim, women or men, we just have to take our responsibilities as citizens seriously and hold our elected officials accountable. And it starts by speaking up, writing in and casting our ballot in the next general elections.