Thursday, August 27, 2015

Merdeka 58




Malaysians will greet their 58th Merdeka not with cheer and joy like they used to before but with despair and uncertainty of their future and that of their children. The conspicuous scarcity of the Jalur Gemilang on the streets and cars bears testimony to the desperate and subdued feelings of the people at large.

The economic downturn, the plunging ringgit and the unfavourable political climate in the country are the main causes of this gloomy feeling of the people. The 1MDB fiasco and its adverse and even disastrous effects are clearly seen and felt by the people at all levels of society. There is a general feeling of disappointment and big let-down by our leaders who seem to have placed their interests above that of the people who elected them. The result is that the people do not trust their leaders anymore and they badly want change which they now know for sure is not easy to come by, even with their votes general elections.

It is just days to our 58th Merdeka and what we see more are the all familiar yellow T-shirts of Bersih 4 than national flags. The nation is poised for the coming mass rally by Bersih 4 on 29 August when thousands of ordinary peace-loving Malaysians are preparing to take to the streets peacefully to demand for fair elections, greater democratisation, independent public institutions and more freedom of expression. In fact there are those who even demand the resignation of the PM and their numbers   keep increasing by the day.

August 29 this year will be the most important day for all Malaysians in recent history. It will be a day of reckoning for people power. Will it be powerful enough to defend the rights of the people peacefully in accordance with the laws of the nation? Will it succeed to transfer the true power to rule to the people? 

As we brace for all the possible eventualities we hope and pray for peaceful and amicable solution to the problems confronting our nation and our people. We pray that God guide our leaders to submit to wishes of the people. We pray that God protect our people against all possible harm and grant them the peace and justice they deserve.

Will Merdeka 58 go down in history as the turning point for a better and more accountable and democratic governance in our country? We just hope so.

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