Awam's moves to hold a public rally for a violence-free society should be supported fully by the authorities.

A pitiful attendance of only 500 at their Aug 3 indoor gathering sums up the sad state of apathy for the well being of fellow citizens. This was not helped by lack of publicity given by the print media as opposed to the very good coverage given to the controversially cancelled rally in late July.

We have been conditioned into this de-sensitised state by an environment where we face injustices daily:

  • Harassment and extortion of Indian nationals by the police in the Brickfields area.

  • Attempted extortion of courting couples by enforcement officers.

    • An Ampang Jaya official's alleged extortion of a restauranteur.

  • KK Nair's letter on selective enforcement against restaurants in Bandar Sri Damansara.

  • Art Chen's letter of similar action in OUG and Old Klang Road.

  • On-going loan-sharking activities where borrowers pay 10 percent interest per month, perhaps forcing some victims into theft/robbery to make ends meet.

    • What does all this do to us? It embitters, hardens and de-sensitises the human spirit. Little wonder then that Kuala Lumpur is rated the least helpful city on earth, or that there was subdued response to Awam's gathering.

    How does it effect the economy? As corruption reigns, the fabric of society breaks down and public safety declines, our country risk goes up. It makes it more difficult to attract foreign direct investments. That is why Thailand under Thaksin Shinawatra is taking a leaf out of Singapore's book and clamping down hard on corruption and crime.

    The DPM's recent call for all-out war on corruption, a monumental task, is timely. However, the effort would be greatly enhanced only if candid public discourse is encouraged.

    In a globalised world, where we have to attract the best and brightest to our Multimedia Super Corridor, upcoming biotech park, educational institutes and other industries, we have to address the concept of a truly civil society.

    Why? Simply because the best and brightest in any field will be in great demand anywhere in the world and are thus very mobile. They have many options. They seek environments that satisfy the very basic human desire of freedom, of safe public places, of a civil society, of societies of laws and equitableness way beyond monetary rewards.

    As it is, there is a brain drain from this country which has been going on for decades. If we cannot even retain our own citizens who have to uproot from the comfort of familiar surroundings, what hope do we have of attracting top foreign talents?

    We need to feel passionately about the wrongs we see around us and be able to express and show that passion. Only then can we become less embittered and show empathy for victims of injustice. Only then can we become truly more caring.

    Half a million people can demonstrate peacefully on the streets of Hong Kong under - indirectly - the rule of a communist government.

    Yet, here, Awam cannot even hold a public anti-violence rally. It highlights how suppressed a society we have become.