Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan is right in saying that the political tsunami of 2008 has ended, because the country has yet to experience what I have coined as the ‘political earthquake’ that will shake the powers that be in as far inland as Putrajaya.

When the political tsunami swept over the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia in 2008, it failed to reach Putrajaya, Sabah and Sarawak. However, for the past 55 years of its history, the country has yet to experience a shake-up in the power structure at Putrajaya.

Arrogance and all sorts of vices have crept into the Barisan Nasional component parties, which have been in power for 55 years. It has overstayed the people’s hospitality and it will take a great political earthquake to shake the entire nation.

This could have taken place during the wasteful years of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but because people then were too contented with making money, nothing happened. As a result, Mahathir and his cronies got richer, but the rakyat - whether Indians, Malays or Chinese - got poorer and became sidelined.

Racial issues

The Hindraf has raised the issues close to the hearts of the Indians, while PAS has time and time again brought up the issue of oil royalty for the state of Kelantan. The urban middle-class Chinese have been mainly watching and analysing the situation, but mostly resigned to the fact that change could not happen in this country. By large, every Malaysian was having some sort of unhappiness against the regime led by Mahathir Mohamad.

When Anwar Ibrahim was arrested in 1997, he was only supported by the Malays who were aligned to him. However, this is the only person in this country who has the tenacity to oppose Mahathir all the way and is still standing strong despite one adversity after another.

In 2012, when the judgment was delivered regarding Sodomy II, it was not only the Malays, but also the Chinese and the Indians who congregated in front of the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

This is a sign that all races (‘1Malaysia’) are now united against a wicked regime. For far too long, we have seen the arrogance and wickedness of Umno. For example, the cowgate scandal, despite obvious evidence unveiled by PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramly, it took so long before the husband of Shahrizat Jalil was brought to light. Instead, the whistle-blower was prosecuted.

The March 2008 general election had proven to the rakyat that it was possible to overthrow a wicked regime led by Mahathir’s camp A. Last year, during Bersih 3.0, the various races also went to the streets to protest against unfair elections. The Chinese, who by nature, usually shy away from street demonstrations, also went down to the Dataran Merdeka to show their solidarity with the rest of Malaysians that they want a clean and fair election.

Basically, people were already saying, “Enough is enough! We want change!” And the time is now! A political earthquake is about to take place. This was what the people were saying to the government of the day. Instead, they were being splashed with chemical-laced water and tear gas, which made Malaysians all over the world angry with the regime now led by Najib Abdul Razak. The Najib regime will have to pay for going to war with the rakyat.

The turning point

The question is, will it happen in this coming general election? I believe the time is now. The rakyat has had enough of Umno’s 55 years of rule. Things have gotten worse since Umno Baru was formed in 1987, and Dr Mahathir Mohamad helmed the country.

He not only sidelined Umno team B, but created a mockery out of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by putting him as prime minister, then lashing out at Abdullah when he could not get his own mad ways, such as building the crooked bridge across to Singapore despite the protest from the Singapore government.

Besides dismantling the royal institution and removing their privileges, Mahathir had also destroyed the independence of the judiciary system. During his time, a number of his cronies got richer overnight. Under Mahathir’s rule, corruption was at its worse. The country’s resources were wasted away in huge quantum of billions of ringgit through numerous scandals and unproductive projects.

Because of his pet project, Proton, now Malaysians have to pay their car loans, the second biggest loan in one’s working life besides the housing loan; and now for the younger Malaysians, the education loan.

It is time for Malaysians to say, “Enough is enough” of the cronyism and nepotism that exist in this country, and together, we shall see in a political earthquake to shake out Putrajaya.