Put your X in the Box

The Malaysian Elections are just around the corner. Yet again, political parties send their henchmen to do all the 'you will vote for me... or else' and the 'I will do this and this and this for you'. Malaysia being a relatively young country has not seen a great number of elections and even then, they have not lead to any change in government unlike many other major countries in the world.

I believe that the country needs to change the ruling government to be able to proceed further. However, there may be a few glitches. You see, to change the government, you need to vote for the opposition. Kenny Sia gave a very interesting who-to-vote-for-this-election generator which seemed to show a great number of people being DAP supporters. I am no expert in the manifesto of each political party but I am convinced that people need to wake up to the fact that the government needs a good and proper shake up. There has been such dilly-dallying and such indifference that people are starting to feel indeed, that certain ways are the only ways of life. Many of us have not known any different. We have grown up under the same government, lived under policies and Malaysia Plans that are extensions of each other.

I am a believer that increasing the basic minimum wage thereby increasing the number of people who meet the taxable income bracket can increase awareness of politics in the population. However, this is a Catch 22 as increasing basic minimum wage to have it taken away in taxes will make Ah Beng the blue collar worker mourn the loss of income to the government. This will make Ah Beng all the more interested to know where his tax money is going and demand a say in how it is used. How is the government going to justify using 26 million ringgit to send a guy into space to treat other guys in space to nasi lemak when it could be used to improve roads, build more schools, community clinics and employ podiatrists?

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Elections are always argued in terms of race. I hate the race arguement. I hate it when people argue on who was here first thereby claiming right of abode. Sure! I am a fourth generation chinese immigrant from Mainland China. Does that make me a citizen of the Peoples' Republic of China? No. Yet why am I not made to feel as if Malaysia is not my country too? Am I a foreigner in my homeland? What should I tell my children and grandchildren in the future? I have been lucky to have lived in many countries and experienced life out of Malaysia but it does not mean I love her any less and want anything short of success for her. I understand and respect history but it does not mean that we cannot change our stance and progress above and beyond the who-came-first arguement and strive to make it a fairer and more inclusive country for everyone.

The cracks of dissatisfaction with our current lot are starting to show. We have witnessed many incidents and how they have been handled. Many people have voiced their dissatisfaction in the coffee shops, over the glass of teh tarik, on the many blogs that we read and stalk. Yet, how many of us are able and willing to be part of the change? I for one, would love to be able to vote. To be able to have my say on how I want my country to be, who I want to lead it and what I want to see in the future. However, there is this slight problem where only civil servants and registered students living abroad are allowed to cast the ballot. The cut off age of 21 may be able to exclude many young and eager students who are abroad financed by their parents. The unwritten rule of 'not biting the hand that feeds you' will no doubt influence the many government funded, older than 21 years of age, students and civil servants to vote to keep the status quo. What about the votes of the many professional Malaysians working overseas who would like to cast their votes? Malaysian embassies and consulates are present in every country. They are supposed to be a patch of home to protect the people and to serve them. A country is nothing without its people.

Likewise, we the people must be able to exercise our right to change our country for better or worse. We need to show up and give our two cents worth or else quit complaining.

*stops complaining*