Now that the flood situation has improved slightly in Johor, I think it is now right for Malaysians and Johoreans to consider what I have got to say here. Last week, I got a call from a friend whose clinic in Kota Tinggi was flooded to the roof top.

He was baffled when I told him that Johoreans are themselves to be blamed for the floods. Initially, he disagreed with me but after some explanation, he realised what I said made sense. The explanation I gave applies to the whole country and not just to Johor.

Why do I blame Johoreans themselves?

Well, the answer is in the political power. Johoreans failed to elect a balanced government. In fact, they gave a strong majority to the BN. With such a majority, the BN politicians abused their positions blatantly. Land was opened up indiscriminately as the power to log forests lies with the state exco and not with the various government departments.

The department heads are to scared too say 'no' to their political masters. They will always issue the standard letter beginining with 'Tiada Halangan ....' As a result, deforestation occurred at water catchments areas. Land was levelled indiscriminately without taking into account the geo-climatic changes. Houses were built at unsuitable places. Proper drainage was never put in place.

Where were the timber tycoons and people who benefitted from logging as well as the developers during the floods? How much money did they give to the victims in return for their profit?

When evaluating a site for development, it is important to study the weather patterns over the last 100 years and extrapolate on it exponentially. The reasons for this is because in the next 100 years, we will have more people and more cars but less trees and greater trans-boundary and internal pollution.

The government can do all the analyses but I believe that is all purely academic. Malaysians better wake-up and think and not just vote for the symbol. Vote for the person. Look at our government and politicians and see how many of them have become filthy rich after joining politics.

I think it is important that we vote for a balance of power and not just for one political party. In the next general election, give the opposition the state constituency votes to ensure a balance of power.

Malaysians, wake up and please think. Why vote corrupt people into power again?