I come from a family who is quite comfortable with our lot in life. Questions on politics and the bigger picture of my future seldom came up before November 07.

Prior to this, my day usually ends with a reading of The Star by the poolside of my apartment's eating area. Political news usually gets ignored as it is always portrayed as being peachy in the government.

Voting? Bah... its just one vote!

All it took to change my view was the major fumble by our government in the international news media, once on Al Jazeera. The then Information Minster Zainuddin Maidin violently declared that Malaysia was a democracy by saying we had elections every five years.

Nothing wrong with this statement except for the fact the question was why were Malaysians being hosed down with water cannons and tear gas at a peaceful rally.

This got me thinking so I turned to the net.

The national TV news showed nothing violent while Zainuddin went on spewing his verbal diarrhea at the Al Jazeera crew. It is nothing wrong expressing one’s feeling passionately but to do it so violently and ineloquently was embarrassing.

This too from a so-called information minister. Safe to say, the former minister’s fate in politics was sealed that day.

The feeling that the government was hiding something from the rakyat was truly a wake up call.

I vowed to never take anyone's news at face value ever again.

Fast forward to the current day. With help from bloggers and new media sites, I am now embarrassed that I ever trusted anything reported in the mainstream media. It has done nothing but practice one-sided reporting.

After feeling like I had been spoon-fed what I wished to hear for most of my adult life, and been given the illusion of choice, I opted to not be patronised anymore.

For the first time, I voted.

Between the Bersih & Hindraf rallies, The 12th general elections and Permatang Pauh, I have waited to see the government's response in the mainstream media. Each time they shot themselves in the foot.

I went from being amazed to being amused. I now look forward to what our ministers have to say instead of reading the comics section for my daily chuckle.

The DNA bill for example, has reasoning that just brims with arrogance. What do you mean you do not need to provide a reason because you are the government?

I am please that I am not the only one awakened by those who rallied for the truth. Again I have to express my gratitude to those on the streets that began this whole ‘awakening’.

Now the validity of a cross over is being heatedly discussed. Is it democratic? Should it be supported? Can it happen? The government is going all out to complain of and discredit any attempt by Pakatan Rakyat to take over.

I'm sorry but the government lost its right to complain the moment it stopped playing fair. Give all parties fair coverage in the local media. Then we can talk about what's fair in the democratic process.

This move to reclaim the country from BN is a necessary step, even if it is just damage control.

Having to abide another three to four years with the ruling coalition before we can give them the democratic boot, is simply too long. I am pretty certain with their current track record, they will squeeze every drop of blood from the Malaysian populace if given that duration.

Kudos to the Internet for teaching me the value of my vote. Now it is crystal clear that the status quo can no longer exist. We need a two party system and a reset on the current government.

We need it bad.

I can see that my best bet lies in the proclaimed ideals of one man for now. I see that he and his coalition are able to, at least, answer my questions without making me feel like an idiot who cannot handle the truth.

Also, do we need such things as prisons if we have already judged a man unchanged by such punishment? Even if he really did do any wrongs prior to his conviction and jailing 10 years ago, then the fundamentals of him undergoing punishment, deserved or not, state that I must now give him a chance to prove who he is now, right?

Can I claim to know what he will do after gaining power? Or what is truly in his heart? No, I claim no such arrogance. That I will leave for his actions to show.

What I do know is that with this man, I can see something that I cannot even hope to smell with the current government in power.

I see hope.