HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011
It is tempting to gaze into the crystal to see what one hopes 2011 will be like. Well, less racial nonsense will be a very good thing.
No prayer in the world will prevent excessive politicking from occurring in Malaysia. But, unlike straightjacketed places like Singapore or China, Malaysia has a vibrant democratic ethos. So, politics or, even the excess of it, is something we will all have to accept.
That is not a bad thing if there is sufficient civility and a large dollop of good sense.
pix from here.
I, for one, am very proud of our great nation.
No, it's not just because I cheered myself hoarse in both legs of the Suzuki AFF finals where our young Harimaus broke valiant Indonesian hearts.
And, it's not just because my firm's order book for 2011 looks damn promising.
It's because Malaysia has weathered the results of the 2008 General Elections very well in spite of the sea-change from BN's loss of it's two-thirds majority.
Yes, there has been a lot of unsatisfactory tactics and blatant cheating. Yes, corruption still needs to be tackled even more firmly. Yes, street crime is still a source of great concern for all Malaysians.
These are challenges that we shall have to face.
It is the job of the Loyal Opposition to throw brickbats. Equally, it is the job of the Party in Government to counter the brickbats and swing some of its own. That's democracy.
As citizens, it will be for each of us to dutifully support any leader who argues for stronger audits of the governance of the Federal Centre and each of the States.
Above all else, to my mind, we must be the most vigilant about the Local Governments whose incompetence, bad planning and sheer abuse and neglect, has caused each and every one of us to suffer from traffic jams, poor road maintenance, non-functioning traffic lights, unlit street lights and the list goes on. We, the ratepayers, must hold those buggers running the Local G! overnmen ts to account.
For, in the final analysis, the average citizen's most frequent contact with the GOVERNMENT is at the Local Government level.
Have a good New Year celebration, Malaysia.
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public
No prayer in the world will prevent excessive politicking from occurring in Malaysia. But, unlike straightjacketed places like Singapore or China, Malaysia has a vibrant democratic ethos. So, politics or, even the excess of it, is something we will all have to accept.
That is not a bad thing if there is sufficient civility and a large dollop of good sense.
pix from here.I, for one, am very proud of our great nation.
No, it's not just because I cheered myself hoarse in both legs of the Suzuki AFF finals where our young Harimaus broke valiant Indonesian hearts.
And, it's not just because my firm's order book for 2011 looks damn promising.
It's because Malaysia has weathered the results of the 2008 General Elections very well in spite of the sea-change from BN's loss of it's two-thirds majority.
Yes, there has been a lot of unsatisfactory tactics and blatant cheating. Yes, corruption still needs to be tackled even more firmly. Yes, street crime is still a source of great concern for all Malaysians.
These are challenges that we shall have to face.
It is the job of the Loyal Opposition to throw brickbats. Equally, it is the job of the Party in Government to counter the brickbats and swing some of its own. That's democracy.
As citizens, it will be for each of us to dutifully support any leader who argues for stronger audits of the governance of the Federal Centre and each of the States.
Above all else, to my mind, we must be the most vigilant about the Local Governments whose incompetence, bad planning and sheer abuse and neglect, has caused each and every one of us to suffer from traffic jams, poor road maintenance, non-functioning traffic lights, unlit street lights and the list goes on. We, the ratepayers, must hold those buggers running the Local G! overnmen ts to account.
For, in the final analysis, the average citizen's most frequent contact with the GOVERNMENT is at the Local Government level.
Have a good New Year celebration, Malaysia.
Letter & Opinion From Joe Public
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