The tsunami has not run its course — Kris Shan
Why did this happen? Disgruntlement, plain and simple. By a nation of peoples that had long suffered abuses of power, corruption on a scale that is nothing short of obscene, and total mismanagement of our country that has led us into a long slide into an abyss. Falling standards in our judiciary, our education system and the alarming loss of our personal security with rising crime from a police that do not just seem ineffectual but show no will in wanting to stem the tide have all caused us to sit back and wonder, is this the best our elected government can do? Is this the best that we can empower to administrate us? Whither their conscience?
But we were willing to forego our grievances... out of fear. A fear that was carefully nurtured and cultivated. That to change the status quo could lead to worse. That we could have civil strife. And this was constantly exhorted to us. Subtly between elections but blatantly during them (full page ads in major dailies reminding us of May 13th was a ploy only the lowest of the low would stoop to and the BN stooped as no one else could or would).
But somehow or somewhere, some of us said enough was enough. It started, I believe, with the Hindraf movement. And images of the poor and destitute in this country coming to the city to cry foul, being water cannoned, bludgeoned and beaten whilst forlornly clutching their cheap plastic bags struck a chord among us. And we thought how bad did it need to get before we said enough is enough? And we voted. Much to the surprise of everyone not least the opposition. And of course the BN. For in their complacency they never saw the writing on the wall. What little they did see did not serve as a catalyst that they needed to do better. That they were beholden and were expected to serve and build a better Malaysia.
The disgruntlement has not ebbed. If anything it has grown. And healthily, the opposition that were swept into seats weren’t put on a pedestal. There were expectations of them. And that is how it should be. Your promises and your charter are well and good, but we want you to deliver. We want a better Malaysia. We love our country and are proud of it. And we want to see that we have good people in place administering this country propelling us to greatness and not flushing us down the toilet in their greed and self-serving interest.
No, Malaysians have matured and the tsunami has not run its course. We have expectations of ourselves, we always had. The difference is we now realise that those expectations are inextricably intertwined with the strength of the nation. And hence we have now standards and expectations of whom we elect. A friend once said, “How can we soar like eagles when we are surrounded by turkeys?” The sooner our politicians realise this the better it would be for them. If not for the betterment of this nation, at least to ensure their relevance and survival.
* Kris Shan is an engineer who thinks the meaning of life lies in a race track (or a piston on quiet days).
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