Cocky BN needs to repent


Jeswan Kaur | September 3, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Before fingers are pointed at Pakatan for doing a bad job, it will do BN good to take a good look at itself and realise how how bad a track record it has.

COMMENT

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the country’s former longest-serving prime minister, wants the rakyat to vote for Barisan Nasional come the 13th general election. His reason is that the federal government under the Barisan Nasional was all ears and had changed many laws and policies to bring a better future for the people.

Thanks but no thanks, Mahathir; had BN been listening, there would have been no reason for the “Bersih” saga to take place.

If all was well at the polls, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih, would not have taken to the streets, not one or twice but thrice.

And did the BN government listen then? No!

Why then must the rakyat vote BN back into power, if all BN does is to “monopolise” its existence and hoodwink the people into believing that it cares?

Had BN been a good listener as Mahathir is desperately alluding, there would have been much peace and harmony among the people.

In the over five decades that BN has held the nation’s fort, much damage has been done, all because its leaders chose to give in to corruption and their never-ending hunger for more power.

On the contrary, the opposition under the Pakatan Rakyat banner has only had a taste of “calling the shots” since 2008; has it in just four years done as much damage to the nation as BN has been doing for the past 55 years?

For Mahathir to brag that only BN can determine the survival of the nation is implausible as the fate of the country does not lie in the hands of BN; likewise, Pakatan too should not claim it can do wonders for a nation whose people are slowly but surely being torn apart by racial slurs made by the very politicians who had once pledged to keep the nation united.

Too many mistakes made

Still, given time and experience, the opposition can deliver, provided it ties up all “loose ends” and all three parties under it – PKR, DAP and PAS – work in unison.

Any attempt by Mahathir or the likes of him to conjure up a “prima facie” case in the favour of BN is not going to work. Too many deliberate mistakes have been made by BN time and again, a reflection of its disrespect for the very voters who ensured its survival over the years.

Is BN willing to “repent”, to take cognisance of all its wrongdoings and pledge never to take the rakyat for granted? Can Mahathir give the people the assurance that BN has turned over a new leaf?

Clearly, the former premier is unable for the “sludge” covering BN is beyond cleansing; the repeated acts of corruption tell the people that BN has become “too big for its shoes”, its arrogance shrouding all promises made to the rakyat.

The instances are one too many. The controversial listing of the Felda Global Ventures Holdings is aimed at putting BN in the good books of the people; but really, why will the rakyat bother trusting the federal government when it knows, come what may, BN will never put an end to corruption, a scourge that is here to stay.

BN had no qualms appointing Isa Abdul Samad, the former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar who was suspended from Umno for engaging in money politics, as the chairman of Felda.

Is this what Mahathir means by “BN listening to the rakyat”?

The day BN gets serious in wanting to “listen to the rakyat”, it will make an end of corrupt politicians like Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

Until then, it is pointless for Mahathir to beg for the rakyat’s support in ensuring BN’s victory in the coming general election.

BN selfish

Before fingers are pointed at Pakatan for doing a bad job since it came on board four years ago, it will do BN good to take a good look at itself and realise how how bad a track record it has.

Post-May 13, 1969 racial riots, did BN learn its lesson and work at strengthening unity among the people? No; instead, the racial divide became wider to the extent that the non-Malays have been made to feel “out of place” in their own homeland.

Was it not Mahathir who last year cautioned the non-Malays not to get carried away with the life enjoyed in this country, saying they owed it all to the Malays, the real “owners” of this nation?

Did it ever bother Mahathir how the non-Malays and maybe a handful of Malays must have felt each time Umno at its general assembly promised to wage war against the non-Malays should they dare question Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which safeguards Malay rights and privileges?

Is this how BN pays attention to the rakyat’s woes?

Mahathir has also made the mistake of giving BN the credit for changing many laws and policies to bring about a better future for the country. Had that happened, why would “Bersih” come into being?

Had BN changed many laws, the families of those who suffered death at the hands of the authorities would have received swift justice. If listening to the rakyat is BN’s strength, then no time would have been wasted in setting up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission to curb abuse of power by the Royal Malaysian Police.

Had BN believed in serving the public welfare, it would not have put in place laws that come with caveats, as is the case with the Evidence Act 1950. On Aug 14, concerned Malaysians held an Internet blackout day to protest and raise awareness about legislation that could threaten free expression on the Web.

The protest concerns two amendments to Section S114A of the Evidence Act, which covers “Presumption of Fact in Publication”.

“S114A, entitled ‘Presumption of Fact in Publication,’ holds (1) those who own, administrate, or edit websites open to public contributors, such as online forums or blogs; (2) those who provide web-hosting services or Internet access; (3) those own the computer or mobile device used to publish content online, are accountable for the content published through their services, on their sites, or “in their name’” unless the contrary is proven.

When the federal government decided to go ahead with Section114A of the Evidence Act, it is yet another example of it not willing to listen to the rakyat, putting paid to Mahathir’s tacky claim that BN “listens to the rakyat”.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

  1. #1 by Godfather on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 12:07 pm

    We tell them not to award contracts to the highest bidder. Did they listen ? They still insist on padding up contracts by the billions…..

  2. #2 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 1:11 pm

    Cocky umno to repent? No cocky umno wants us to be grateful!

  3. #3 by Godfather on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 1:30 pm

    Cocky UMNO wants to cheat. They cheat on FDI numbers, they cheat on crime statistics, and they even cheat on number of tweets….sigh, no wonder the boss of UMNO is popularly known as Ah Cheat Kor….

  4. #4 by monsterball on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 1:35 pm

    I just don’t understand why a 55 year old government needs to keep on proving how good they are.
    Mahathir….bragging…BN is best best…when PR is not tested yet…how ridiculously idiotic.

  5. #5 by drngsc on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 1:46 pm

    It is not difficult to better BN’s dismal records. Besides being no 1 at corruption and racism, they are good at nothing else.

    However, the other important reason to change is to bring in a two party system, to provide a check and balance. Mad-hat-tir has managed to destroy all the institution providing checks and balances, so that the corrupt racists are now running riot.
    Let no one be “cocky”.

    We need to change the tenant at Putrajaya. Next to GE 13, then to Putrajaya. It is getting nearer. The emperor without clothes must decide, sooner or later.

    Change we must. Change we can. Change we will.

  6. #6 by sheriff singh on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 3:26 pm

    ‘Devils’ don’t repent. They love more sinners.

  7. #7 by monsterball on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 3:43 pm

    We are all sinners.
    That is why religions are so popular.
    The Devils want to suck blood like Dracula and vampires!

  8. #8 by Winston on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 5:58 pm

    Too many deliberate mistakes have been made by BN time and again, a reflection of its disrespect for the very voters who ensured its survival over the years.

    Is BN willing to “repent”, to take cognisance of all its wrongdoings and pledge never to take the rakyat for granted? Can Mahathir give the people the assurance that BN has turned over a new leaf?
    – End of quote

    Another one of those authors who like euphemisms and talk about repenting!
    Why not talk straight?
    They are in it for the gravy train!!
    Nothing else matters!!!
    That’s the sole reason why they are so utterly upset that if they lose the next GE, not only will the train be overturned, but they will have to face the music!
    And it’s definitely not sweet music!!!!!!

  9. #9 by Bunch of Suckers on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 7:19 pm

    Not only cocky; they are also sucky, sneaky, snaky… Obviously, they are bunch of sucky and porky monkeys…

  10. #10 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Monday, 3 September 2012 - 10:22 pm

    Those umno idiots are now lam par si beh tua. And they know it. The only option left is to drag election for as long as possible. Meantime, plunder and steal while there is still a bit of daylight.

  11. #11 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 4 September 2012 - 9:11 am

    Most commentators have already point out this discussion is pointless..NO ONE gives UMNO/BN any hope of reform – even those that gives a little credit to UMNO/BN – the best they do is just give them excuse (i.e., the often qouted “its not easy”..).

    It may be true total reform is difficult and likely PR is promising more than they can deliver. BUT the point really is IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS HARD FOR UMNO/BN TO HOLD ON TO POWER..UMNO/BN has advantages FEW political party in the world can dream of. EVEN PAP in Singapore can only wish it has the blind support of insecure Malay-Muslim heartland that can be bought for trinkets and a treasure chest like Petronas that would already be ON TOP OF Fortune 500 under its care.

    Truth be told, how hard really is to win the Malaysian voters even the ‘ungrateful’ Chinese? Just walk away from corruption and abuse of power. They don’t even expect completely – just most of it. Its precisely the basic problem is so universal and self-inflicted of UMNO/BN that no one has any reason to symphatise with them. Its why PAS-DAP ideologically opposing can work together so well. ITS SIMPLY BASIC COMMON SENSE…

    Forget these platitudes of excuses of repent and reform by UMNO/BN. Its simply DYSFUNCTIONALITY. There is no such thing as self-curing dysfuntionality..

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