COMMENT One thing may explain the various idiosyncrasies that we see today.

From a ‘sudden need’ to create a RM650 million man-made mini tropical forest around Tugu Negara to the utter disgrace displayed by a present attorney-general who was caught dancing with cabinet ministers and allegedly adorned in Barisan Nasional attire, and the open distribution of political funds by Sungai Besar Umno division leader, Jamal Mohd Yunus to Umno branch leaders, we are witnessing some of the worst human scandals in our country’s history since 1957.

It goes without saying that it is simply unethical for Mohamed Apandi Ali to be seen publicly and happily frolicking with Barisan Nasional ministers. In most countries, Apandi would have been sacked from his office as attorney-general. It is, as pointed out by Aliran’s executive committee member, P Ramakrishnan, a shameful act of disgrace!

But, here in Malaysia, the majority of Malaysians remain silent. They prefer to put others on the pedestal to speak on their behalf than to speak their minds. We have become the proverbial frog in a pot of slowly boiling water, which continue to adjust to its surroundings; and before it realises it, the water would become too hot for it to escape alive.

The attorney-general continues to report to the prime minister, and all that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low could say to an international audience was to promise that the AG’s office would be placed under the care of the Malaysian Parliament.

One year has passed, and Low’s promise turned out empty - and if anything, it is close to being a lie told to both Malaysians and an international audience during the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) 2015.

Stop squandering away public funds

In the first place, there is really no need for a mini tropical forest in the midst of the city. After logging nearly the entire country, now Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is trying to create a legacy by having a tropical forest within the city.

And to think that the country has to fork out over half a billion ringgit, when the economy is floundering under his leadership, is simply madness!

I wonder how much the forest would add value to city of Kuala Lumpur when eco-tourists would prefer to visit the virgin tropical rainforests elsewhere, the habitat of beautiful flora and fauna, not man-made madness within two or three years.

What we need is more aggressive tree planting and turn Kuala Lumpur into a garden city within the next 10 years so that anyone flying above the city would be able to enjoy the greenery than a patch of ‘mini tropical’ rainforest.

When the idea was first mooted, it was never even debated in Parliament. The public knew nothing about it until it was officially launched by Najib himself.

With that amount of public funds, I can imagine at least 6,000 students would have benefited from full scholarships, if it is used to send good students for a good education overseas. Whenever the government is asked about scholarships and student loans, there is always the standard answer that there is no money for that.

It is as though the scam behind the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) is not bad enough for his own reputation worldwide, now the tropical rainforest right in the city of Kuala Lumpur will be turning the city into another eyesore. It may yet again be another failed project like the city orchard which had wasted a lot of public funds in the past.

And, amidst all this, we have a mufti from Perak who said that it is wrong to have the image of a man or an animal in public places.

In the first place, the out-of-sync Harussani Zakaria who has become notorious for his sex on camel’s back, should have commented on other symbols such as the National Emblem with its two kijang, the Malaysian notes with the face of our first Agong, the Bank Negara logo with its mousedeer, and the entire museum of statues and figurines!

All these items should also be destroyed, if someone like Harussani is allowed to continue spewing out his thoughts that promote nothing but the Islamic State in Malaysia.

And the latest is that even PAS president, Abdul Hadi Awang has joined the fray in the “talibanisation” of the country. Loud mouthed MCA said nothing when a deputy mufti from Perak urged the demolition of the Langkawi eagle; now that PAS’ Hadi also joined the bandwagon, its representatives saw it fit to say something.

The Jamal and Ali Tinju legacy

Malays have often asked why they are not being respected by other races.

The real reason, as I have elaborated before this, is because of people like Mohd Ali Baharom who did the buttock dance in front of the house of former Bersih co-chairperson, Ambiga Sreeneevasan. How shameful can Malays get!

And, another troublemaker, Jamal Md Yunos, whose franchise business formerly known as Sekinchan Ikan Bakar folded up within less than two years, openly hanging Umno’s dirty linen for everyone to see. Umno veteran Rais Yatim is allegedly seen as 'old junk' to the new generation of Umno leaders.

Unfortunately, the silent majority have allowed people like Martabat Jalinan Muhibah Malaysia (MJMM) chief Abdul Rani Kulup to represent them. Rani is always seen wearing dark glasses, which makes me wonder what he has to hide behind the glasses.

No one even comes forward to condemn these ‘worthless’ scoundrels in our midst! We continue to allow them more space to speak, but they are constantly driving us up the wall in one way or another.

Why are we here where we are as a nation? I have written about it in my article, ‘When decency is no longer there, fear of Allah is out of question’, yet only 449 people have shared it. Some other articles that I have written have been shared more than 2,500 times!

It is because there is no longer the fear of Allah in the hearts of all Malaysians. We claim to believe in God in our Five National Principles, but what a lie that it is from the way we behave.

It is not only the leaders, but the ordinary people like you and I, who prefer to allow things to continue instead of coming together as one force to displace these people in the corridor of power in the coming general election.

I saw how the Crown Prince of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, for example, was so full of confidence that there was corruption in the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) when he handed over the pendrive to Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, but after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) came out with a statement, is he also keeping quiet?

Has he even checked whether the MACC was given the full contents in the pendrive? This is what I am also wondering!

Everyone is choosing to go his or her own direction, and while we are so disunited, there are people who are laughing all the way to the bank.

I end with this statement by Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.