Increasingly, we see the signs and symptoms of a country going in the wrong direction despite what its politicians claim. Let us take a on-the-ground inventory of things that the man-in-the-street has to contend with everyday:

Loan sharks still operate despite all the negative publicity of them. Look at the boldness of paint- splashing, harassment and bombardment of stickers, notices and call cards all over town.

All kinds of banned items are widely used in farm produce but who cares what happens as long as certain people make money. Look at our dump sites. They stink to high heaven and we are not even talking about all the toxic waste being discharged into our environment day and night.

Corruption? Let's have the guts to face the truth - Malaysia is a corrupt nation. It is no more a case of few bad apples. What about the growing number of snatch thefts? Or how about house break-ins? The number of illegal immigrants?

How about that even metal fittings from the streets and highways are disappearing? Drugs? Not to worry. We have lost the war. From ganja to very sophisticated high society drugs, name it and we have it.

So where are heading? Someone pray tell. Aren't all these signs and symptoms not an affirmation that the bad and ugly are ruling the good and clean? Is that not Mafia rule? So with hardly 14 years to 2020, are we saying that we will clean up? The future looks very gloomy.