When I was a schoolgirl, I thought Malaysia my country was a happy home. My rights were well protected and that all the people were well taken care off.

How na V ve I was. Fast forward several years later when I "came of age", I was horrified at what I saw and knew was happening. Malaysia my home was no longer a promised land. The rights of people were being trampled upon and Machiavellian laws threatened champions of human rights with severe punishment.

Malaysia my home claims to thrive on democracy. The reality, I soon learned was that it was democracy for namesake. People really had no avenues of displaying their unhappiness over issues that affected their quality of life. To speak up meant to criticise the ruling government of the day and was translated as anti-government sentiments.

But if indeed democracy is synonymous with Malaysia and Malaysia is synonymous with democracy, why then has the people’s voice been regarded as a threat by the government? To forcefully suppress the people’s voice is no show of a democratic nation.

malaysia vote ballot box undi voting And threats to silence the people have continued ever since. There is little respect for human rights in the country with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia or Suhakam being nothing short of a toothless tiger.

The much touted harmonious Malaysia is on the brink of becoming a laughing stock, both locally and globally due to its denial to accept that racial harmony is no longer a selling point for Malaysia.

Malaysia my home needs to be saved. The people of Malaysia need to be freed from the shackles of fear and judgement and be allowed to voice out their frustrations.

And what better way for the people to show off their unhappiness than through the process of suffrage, of deciding who best should act as their representatives, both at the state and federal levels.

The people have spoken

The recently concluded 12th general election serves as a testament of the winds of change that were long overdue in Malaysia. It gives the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi no opportunity of resorting to arm twisting tactics in a show of vengeance against the people and their decision to cast protest votes in favour of the opposition.

The general election in itself was no less a circus. The "drama" of the contesting candidates was amazing. It was political theatrical all the way. Indeed, if there is anyone who can pull off bluffs after bluffs it will be the politicians.

Hypocrisy is the name of the game and no one does it best than our politicians. There is little concern of the need to serve the people and the nation. All concern seems to be in the delight of having secured a seat, be it at state or parliamentary levels. It is no wonder then that the rakyat protested in the recently concluded 12th general election, having had enough of corrupt leaders.

The defeat suffered by Barisan Nasional and its component parties in the 12th general election has revealed one aspect – that our so-called leaders have yet to attain maturity, at least where being a wakil rakyat is concerned. The inability to digest loss has never failed to turn into mud slinging.

Take the displeasure shown by Wanita Umno chief and former international trade and industry minister Rafidah Aziz at being dropped from the new cabinet line-up as one example. Having helmed this ministry for decades perhaps made Rafidah all too "settled" and "at home". It slipped her mind that she was merely an appointed and not the owner of this ministry.

Rafidah was quoted on TV3 as saying that she was glad not to be chosen in the new cabinet line-up as it gave her children more time with her. But a few days earlier, in the New Straits Times , Rafidah openly displayed her unhappiness with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for dropping her like a hot potato albeit her winning the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat. There was certainly no mention of her seeing the exclusion as a blessing to enable her to spend more time with her family. Hypocrisy at work? Certainly!

rafidah aziz wanita umno pc 210308 04 The next show of childishness came when Rafidah and former women, family and community development Minister Shahrizat Jalil held a press conference to dispel allegations that Wanita Umno was on the verge of crumbling. Like teenage schoolgirls, amidst giggles, both declared that Wanita Umno was here to stay. One was left wondering what this petty show of dissatisfaction was all about?

One truth is certain and that is Rafidah has done nothing for the womenfolk for them to shed tears over her exclusion from the cabinet. Likewise, Shahrizat too should realise the rejection of her former constituents came with a reason. They had enough of a representative who was all for the rich and famous but not for the blood and toil sweating labourer. Shahrizat recklessly created a chasm between her responsibility as a wakil rakyat and that of sporting the image of a glamorous member of Parliament. And like Rafidah, her demise from the cabinet is no loss for the country. It is befuddling as to what "seduced" Abdullah to bring Shahrizat back as his adviser. It appears that some lessons are never learnt.

Take cognisance

Victor Hugo’s quote that "there is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world; and that is an idea whose time has come" reverberates as never before, in tandem with the winds of change strongly and stubbornly blowing the government’s way.

The people have spoken and chosen as to how and whom they now want as their representatives.

Are the rakyat to be blamed for their decision to give their votes to the opposition? The issue is not that of disgruntled Indian, Chinese or perhaps even Malay voters turning traitors but instead is that of a nation tired of being taken for granted and for a ride by a "not rakyat-friendly" government. There was simply too many instances where the "suara rakyat" was silenced, by hook or by crook.

abdullah ahmad badawi 2008 cabinet line up 180308 06 It remains a hope that Abdullah’s administration takes an honest look as to why Malaysians reacted the way they did. As Abdullah must come clean with the do’s and don’t’s that make for a happy Malaysia. The need for a listening ear cannot be over emphasised. The cries of the people must never be dismissed as insignificant, irrespective of which strata of society they represent.

But from the way things are developing, it points out to the fact that the government is bent on taking revenge against the opposition. It has for once reduced funding to opposition led states like Penang. And government directives have also been verbally issued to the five states controlled by the opposition have been directed to take a neutral position in inviting executive councilors or assemblymen for official functions.

This decision to bar opposition politicians from officiating at functions proves just how tacky the government can be. To use bullying tactics is not the mark of a matured and responsible government. If this is how the government intends to display its resentment against the opposition, then God help Malaysia!

From the look of things, it appears certain that tough times are in store for the states led by the opposition. This move by the government is its lousy way of teaching the people a lesson, for supposedly choosing the wrong people to lead them.

JJ RAY started her career with a mainstream publication. A non-conformist, she soon saw the barriers that went up whenever, through her writing, she tried to make the world a home for one and all.