YOURSAY | ‘The fight the opposition is waging is on a playing field as level as the Himalayas.'
Waiting for the perfect politician is like waiting for Mr Right
Ace: Very well said, Malaysiakini columnist Mariam Mokhtar. You really understand that the fight the opposition politicians are waging is on a playing field as level as the Himalayan mountain range!
The same definitely cannot be said of people who support the spoilt votes movement #Undirosak, who in my opinion are spoilt brats who think the entire country owes them a living, and every leader has a duty to make sure that they get everything that their heart desires,
To them: go ahead, spoil your votes - it will get you nowhere, because you are essentially saying, "I agree with whoever the masses chose. I have no preference - whether the others choose a real patriot or a thief, it's okay with me.”
Appum: #Undirosak’s Maryam Lee and company, are you listening? Or are you too arrogant to admit to the truth staring at your face?
How long is #Undirosak going to wait for your Mr Right Politician?
Existential Turd: It is not that Malaysians are waiting for the right politicians. There are some, not many. However, it is unforgivable to choose Mr Wrong, when Mr Right stands right beside him.
Why? Because Mr Right is of the wrong colour, or has a big mouth. In fact, the more principled you are, the less likely you will thrive in Malaysian politics.
Responsible Malaysian: Is there perfection? What you 'want' may not be what someone else 'wants'. Those who get handouts will not decline the offer. So, should the opposition do the same to win votes?
You will gain nothing by putting too much pressure on the opposition (which is still not in power), when many are relying on being spoon fed. Wouldn't it be easier to put pressure on a new government than the existing old, arrogant and corrupt government?
If you want change, vote a new government into power first, and then put pressure on them to behave. Those who are spoon fed will appreciate you when they realise that they can stand tall without the intimidation from the evil ones.
Rajinder Agnihotri: Every bit of Mariam's article is true. If we do not unite and get rid of the draconian laws, what is there for the future generation?
Yet, the younger ones seem very idealistic. What have they fought for or earned with their own blood, sweat and tears? They have been pampered from the time they go to school, later university and when they join the workforce.
Let us not blame them but ourselves for leading them to this path. Only when they and their children face these troubles, then they will realise their foolishness.
But let the younger generation wake up before it is too late. No matter who you support, you have to stand up for your conviction and vote.
Abasir: If #Undirosak proponents were as politically clued-in as Mariam, and had their heads screwed on properly, they wouldn't be attempting to scuttle Pakatan Harapan's chances even before the polling booths open.
And if they were as astute as they make themselves out to be, their motive should be apparent to all - to enable the survival and continuation of this kleptocracy.
Kleptocrat No 1 has successfully co-opted all the agencies and their titular heads to work for him in exchange for immeasurable benefits and personal gain (aka ‘dedak’, animal feed).
There is every possibility that at least some of the #Undirosak advocates may be taking instructions from him.
Clever Voter: Much of the problems today have to do with the patronage system that encourages the feudal mentality. Politicians are elected representatives, yet their access to resources and privileges are unbelievably unlimited, and even their extended families get to enjoy the fruits of their position.
Accorded VIP treatment, many of these politicians, especially from the ruling party, do not possess moral leadership. The use of threats and violence is disturbing.
Political culture is deliberately engineered to be docile, but it has gone beyond that. To an extent, we have BN youths waiting for their turn to get rich.
Ultimately politics is a business, where the establishment trade goods and services in return for rewards.
Ultimately: The mentality of the #Undirosak camp saddens me. It's like insisting on driving a car with faulty brakes, because you haven't found the perfect car with all the bells and whistles.
What I find sad is that in their somewhat arrogant idealism, they have not given a thought to all those who have perished because of the present regime's excesses or incompetence, even if indirectly.
Let's try counting - 200 over dead in custody including poor A Kugan, N Dhamendran, Teo Beng Hock, 239 people on the ill-fated MH370, 298 on the shot-down MH17, the 37 on the Genting bus crash (and I forget how many others in similar accidents), victims of the Eco City bridge collapse, the Penang flyover collapse, the 'you know who's' structure collapse, the victims of the Cameron Highlands flash flood... the list goes on.
And don't forget the little guys, like the family in Pengerang who committed suicide because of poverty. Has any #Undirosak advocate bothered to make a list of all these victims?
Think of them, before you go on your soapbox and preach your lofty ideals. I believe it's indeed a personal right not to vote in protest, but it is pure irresponsible to influence others to do the same.
P Dev Anand Pillai: Dear Mariam, I like you for expressing hope that the younger generation are fervent in their quest to change the way this country is run. It may be an uphill task, but we have to do what is right, which is to keep making people think.
Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli's sentence might be upheld by the appellate court, but his courageous efforts must not go in vain.
Let us do our part by at least, by making the people around us think, register and vote with a conscience.
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