YOURSAY 'Umno simply aren't bright enough to have orchestrated the destruction of human rights. Not even Dr M is that bright.'

How BN destroyed democracy in 54 years

One Brain Cell: Thanks again, Dr Kua Kia Soong, for doing such a brilliant job of articulating what must be articulated - and in the most lucid terms.

What we are ultimately dealing with is a cancer that destroys our capacity to feel, and thus removing our ability to empathise with others.

This is how cruelty and injustice can be perpetrated against those who are "not like us" or who appear to be weaker than us without arousing massive public outrage.

There is no clearer index of how benighted or enlightened a citizenry may be than the manner in which it treats animals, foreign workers, social misfits and refugees.

Malaysia, under Umno-BN, has been moving in the opposite direction from enlightenment. It's only since 1987 that a small segment of the population has been waking up. In short, the shift from darkness back to light is only one generation old.

Reborn: Don't condemn the whole family because of one member, and don't condemn the whole house because of a few broken bricks.

I see that in the West they condemn each other but never their own nation. Corruption? In France, Jacques Chirac was just convicted and Dominique Strauss-Khan has been implicated on numerous occasions, while the former Israel president was jailed.

Did you hear their political parties condemning their own nations? In Malaysia, the opposition politicians have a new culture - they condemn Malaysia to spite the ruling party. Who gave them that right and why blame us as a nation?

Blind Freddo: Reborn, have you been listening to former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad again? You might be surprised to know in a truly democratic country everyone has the right to criticise their own country - and they do.

And in their criticism they are supported by their media. Nobody talks of sedition or treason or sensitive issues like they do here, where anything slightly controversial is taboo.

A classic recent example was the overturning of the refugee swap between Australia and Malaysia. Initiated by a community group, the move was supported by the High Court of Australia and the operation was squashed.

As you probably realise by now, I think Malaysians are very naive, and without thinking too deeply, they blame the first thing that comes to mind. And that's usually Umno.

I'm going to suggest to you that Umno leaders simply aren't bright enough to have orchestrated this destruction of human rights. Not even Dr M is that bright.

The Malays are excused for allowing this decline to happen because they have been so well indoctrinated as to believe anything the right person tells them.

But not so the other races, their neglect can be traced directly to their selfishness - in short, they are incapable of thinking beyond their own personal gain.

But let's go back to the root cause of the destruction of Malaysia's human rights. Many of these losses on the face of it look like they are Umno looking after itself, but some are not and it's because of those that I want you to ask yourself two questions.

1. Why is it that Islamic countries across the globe have such an abysmal record when it comes to democracy, freedom and human rights?

2. There are some well-educated members of Umno who respect the role of education in a developing nation. Education is the answer to poverty, it's the foundations of a civilised country and it's the key to the future. So why has Umno allowed education in Malaysia to degrade to the extent it has?

Onyourtoes: Reborn, I must begin by saying you are full on contradictions and baloneys.

You can't see that although the majority of Malaysians are not politicians or are not involved in politics, but surely their livelihood and well-being are intertwined with what the politicians do.

We surely feel proud of this country; who is not? But does that mean we cannot comment or condemn of our shortcomings.

Look, the progress of this world is due to mankind's dissatisfaction with things they see around them. Why do you think aeroplane or Internet or iPad were invented? If all the people are like you, we will be still living in caves.

If you think the rakyat deserve better, then surely we have to keep trying to get better people to govern us and this country. Have you?

You asked who gave the right to those who condemned the wrongdoings in this country. My question to you is: who gave you the right to question those who want to comment and condemn, especially on things they see not right?

You said the Westerners never condemned their own countries, but at least they arrest, put on trial and convict, no matter who they are, very quickly those that have done wrong.

What about here; how many and what is the conviction rate?

David Dass: No country in the world which has enjoyed democratic freedoms will willingly and voluntarily give it up. Some of these amendments to our laws were made after May 1969.

The failure to stand up against the amendments was a failure of all Malaysians. Malaysians have always been afraid of upsetting the apple cart. Even the opposition did not always appreciate the long-term ramifications in the amendments.

Constitutional freedoms were fought long and hard by nationalists in different countries over a long period of time. Many people died in that fight.

Asian leaders like Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir argued against these freedoms because they felt that we were not mature enough and too much freedom allowed individuals to jeopardise the interests of the majority.

The Arab Spring has however shaken the developing world. Arab protesters are demonstrating for greater freedom at great risk to their lives.

Trumpet Call: 54 years is a long time. To be honest, we cannot say that BN has done everything wrong. Indeed, there has been some good.

But the point is this: The wrongs that BN has done needs to be undone. It has reached the point of blatant disregard for the views and welfare of the rakyat in their pursuit of personal gain.

If we don't use the next GE to put a stop to all these rampant corruption, nepotism and daylight robbery, Malaysia will go to the dogs.

We cannot afford another five more years of erosion of the values that we hold dear. It has to stop now.

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