THE only way out of the mess the country is in at present – which is an accumulation of almost 60 years of continued abuse and mismanagement of the country’s resources – is for the rakyat to vote for the least corrupted coalition to govern this country for the next five years.
It is about the consequences for the future of our children and grandchildren.
It is a kind of shocking self-belief of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) to gloat about their “great track record” of running the country for decades.
Both BN and PN are out of time and ideas and the rakyat is out of patience.
If the rakyat votes for BN or PN, the two coalitions that helped to bring the country to its knees and which are now pretending that they are going to revive the country again, then you are being irresponsible and condemning your future generations to hardships that are worse than what you are and have been facing for the last few decades.
Loan repayment for the rakyat is going up discreetly and costs of living are going up while incomes remain stagnant or lost due to a lack of opportunities, all of which are going unaddressed.
We don’t just need a change in Government; the rakyat needs a change in how the Government should be held accountable to the rakyat.
The results of the 14th General Elections (GE14) in 2018 have shown the rakyat that they have a serious alternative to the PN and BN coalition.
Moreover, the BN and PN coalition obviously do not have any degree of self-knowledge – again, this a quality that seems to be missing from all the politicians in the country, regardless of whichever coalition they are in – to realise that the only way forward for the country is to have another coalition govern this country.
Our patience is running short
The rakyat’s patience with the PN Government, which obliterated the wishes of the majority of the voting public by abandoning the platform on which they were voted in and joining camps with BN, which was voted out from returning to govern in 2018, is running short.
Under its BN-led successor, this patience appears to have dissolved.
If BN and PN really love the country as they continue to profess profusely, they need to do the right thing and stand aside and let somebody else take over – more so, when this somebody has the support of the majority of the voting public.
The rakyat needs to start coming out and show the politicians that we will find a way through this; otherwise, BN and PN will take the country in a completely different direction, deeper and beyond the abyss which they took the country during the almost 60 years of governing by them, short of the two years where Pakatan was steering the wheels.
The calling of the general election in the midst of a monsoon season is only happening because the BN and PN coalition that formed the outgoing Government messed things up more badly than anyone could have imagined, conveying an image of utter chaos in the Government led by them.
The rakyat has come to despise both the BN and PN coalition as it is clear that the primary wish of both seems to be to hang on to power at whatever the price and however it makes the country look.
Can the country be turned around?
Yes, if all of us do our duty and vote come what may. And the crunch day is Nov 19, 2022.
The country is staring down the barrel if the rakyat votes for the BN and PN coalition again. The country and the rakyat are going through a tumultuous time because of the BN and PN coalition. They have mismanaged and misgoverned and they must accept, be accountable and take responsibility for it.
Currently, the rakyat actually lives hour by hour as a result of the years of cumulative misgovernance and mismanagement of the country by BN and PN.
The rakyat should show BN and PN that they remain in office for as long as they retain the confidence of a majority of the voting public.
After all, the rakyat is the ultimate judge of the standards of behavior expected of a Government they voted in and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards.
Is Pakatan the correct choice?
Can’t be sure. There’s only one way to find out: by trying. If the rakyat doesn’t try, of course, it won’t happen.
What is there to lose for the rakyat?
BN and PN would tell you not to try and gamble with your future. We have already allowed them to gamble with our future for the last 60 years and the results were horrendous.
The rakyat has nothing to lose if they vote for Pakatan on Nov 19. – Oct 22, 2022
Foo Lee Khean is a FocusM contributor.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main photo credit: Bernama
