Sudden gov't benevolence election motivated

Government shouldn't take the voters for granted

Malaysians have come a long way and in the process have grown wiser and well versed in all issues confronting us.

The people are not stupid anymore and their capabilities should not be underestimated.You can fool all the people sometime,some people all the time but cannot fool all the people all the time.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Sudden gov't benevolence election motivated

Anthony J Malaysiakini Jan 30, 08 4:18pm

Fighting poverty amongst all races. Declaring Thaipusam a public holiday for Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Resolving the problem of Indian children without birth certificates in Selangor. You may wonder why all this is happening now. Well, the answer is simple: general elections.

With elections just around the corner, our government - ruled by the almighty Barisan Nasional coalition - is out to get as many votes as possible from the ‘rakyat,’ especially the Indian community.

Let’s dissect each of the issues.

Fighting poverty: The BN-led government has highlighted this as its main agenda in almost all of its election campaigns and promises. But its promises have proven to be only promises. The rich cronies of Umno and its allies have become richer and more powerful, while the poor have become poorer still.

This is very obvious, especially in the cities. There, hi-tech rail and transport services, sports and community infrastructures, sophisticated condominiums and luxurious shopping complexes abound.

But who uses these facilities? The rich, of course. The poor could never afford to frequent these facilities without forking out big, fat sums of money. With each passing year, more and more mega-projects start up in our country. Yet basic poverty eradication remains at an infant stage, despite 50 years of independence.

We still see children without proper clothes to wear, good food to eat and safe shelters to call homes. This happens in the cities as well as in the suburbs. What has the BN government done to improve this? Nothing. They just make more promises.

Price hikes and increased costs of living have pressed our poor ‘rakyat’ to the extreme. I hope the

price hikes rallies will be seen as a sign that the ‘rakyat’ is unhappy with the current administration’s practice of overlooking the priorities of poor communities.

Thaipusam holiday: It has been almost a decade since the MIC submitted an application to the government to declare Thaipusam a public holiday in the Federal Territory. It took me by surprise when the BN- led government finally agreed after such a long time.

What took them so long? Probably they declared the holiday just to make the disappointed Indian community happy before the general elections. What a wicked way to ‘pancing undi’ from Indian voters.

This tactic is similar to those of politicians in rural areas and estates who, in the past, wooed voters by giving free clothes, sandals or food. I hope present-day Indians will not fall prey to these kinds of tactics. Instead, I hope they use their votes wisely to elect a more fair and just government in the coming elections.

The Hindraf and Bersih demonstrators did not ask for more holidays. They fought for a more righteous judiciary system, a transparent Election Commission, a society without racial and religious discrimination, and more job and educational opportunities for minority and poor communities.

Birth certificates for ‘stateless’ Indian children: I was shocked to read recent media reports that the Selangor menteri besar had asked the state Umno council for assistance in identifying and registering Indian children without birth certificates.

Why now? This should have been done many years ago. What was the government doing before this? Birth certificates are important documents that every citizen of this country should possess. The relevant authorities should monitor their respective areas to identify and register children whose parents have not done so.

Given the authorities’ historical ‘tidak apa’ attitude, it seems clear that the government’s last-minute efforts are politically motivated. All Malaysians: Please make wise decisions, choose the right leaders and do not fall prey to old political tactics. Malaysia Boleh!