Many want to become candidates in the coming General Elections, and we need to ask ourselves as to what kind of MPs and ADUNs do we want...
Pro-People, Pro-Justice OR Just Pro-Party or Pro-Party Leaders
Well, come elections we find that many are good in talking ...saying the things that people would like to hear...making this and that promises - but then after being elected, we find them going silent....BUT they are loyal to the leadership of their political party..
YES...they forget that they are peoples' representatives - and just become Party Representative - Not Wakil Rakyat But Wakil Party ... worse still is that some of these do not even speak up or champion justice - they just occupy their seats, and vote when needed. It seems that their ambition was just to become an MP or an ADUN. Recalling my student union days, this phenomena is really not new - there too, after election we only found a small number who really continued to work as student leaders...
Oh yes, some of these 'wakil rakyat' may be doing some work at their constituency...attending functions, shaking hands, etc - maybe even talking at this and that 'ceramahs' - but usually with new points but just a reiteration of points already made by the leadership of their parties. Sometimes, I wonder whether the blame should lie with party leadership, who after all had a say on who should be candidate - Did they consciously choose persons with no views of their own, no initiative to take up causes - with the most important criteria is that they are loyal to the leader/s not even their party? This culture was there in BN - and maybe it is also in the Opposition...
After the 2008 General Elections, the Opposition had so many MPs - BUT honestly, do you even remember their names? It is all too easy to forget when they remain 'silent' - and do not take up any issues or champion any cause and do not have any opinion. Did they disclose any new thing, new idea,....Did they raise any issue in Parliament? Did they argue strongly? How many motions did they table?
How many PKR? PAS? DAP? MPs do you know who are vocal and who champion issues of justice and rights ... How many of them even have a BLOG or some means of communicating to their constituents and the people raising new concerns and issues? How many of them have regular meetings with their constituents to provide information to the people ... and who LISTENs to the peoples views and concerns or are they "LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN TO ME..." MPs...How many issue statements to highlight issues? Many of these sometimes are 'seen with party leaders' BUT that is important in Malaysia's political culture(a bad culture)...because ultimately it is the Party leadership that chooses them candidates... so stay close to the leader becomes a priority rather than being with the people...being a true and effective wakil rakyat...
I worry come the next General Elections, again similar kinds of candidates will be chosen by the party leadership - candidates with no voice or opinion of their own, candidates who will just 'LISTEN TO ME'(i.e. the Party Leaders) kind of cacandidates irrespective of the fact that their view,opinion and/or actions are wrong...and not good for the people or the country...
GIVE US GOOD CANDIDATES - PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ACTIVE IN PARLIAMENT - PEOPLE WHO WILL DO WORK...RAISE ISSUES AND CONCERNS - PEOPLE WHO WILL BE PRO-PEOPLE, PRO HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE, PRO-WORKERS AND TRADE UNIONS NOT JUST IN TALK BUT ALSO IN ACTION...
Many in Malaysia have just lost faith in MPs and ADUNs - they do not even waste their time expressing their opinions or concerns to these 'peoples' representatives' rather choosing to focus their attention to Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, Menteri Besars and party leadership...and some MPs/ADUNs who have a track record of being vocal and fighting for the people..
Many workers...and trade unions struggling for recognition do not even waste time today with their ADUNs or their MPs - WHY? Because they see it as a waste of time... and even when they do, they get disappointed for the lack of support and solidarity coming from these 'peoples' reps'...
Some MPs/ADUNs spend time attending funerals, weddings and other functions - go around doing a lot of 'hand shaking'...but that is all...they do not spend time or provide avenues for genuine dialogue with the people they represent. Many just have the attitude of "LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN TO ME..."
In 2013, the people are wiser - they will not settle for such MPs and ADUNs...
YES, the many are driven by the desire to just end the Barisan Nasional (UMNO-led coalition) rule since Independence, and they will vote in anybody else to see this achieved. It is doubtful that many will vote in Opposition candidates just because they support them...
DO NOT FORGET THAT THE PEOPLE ARE THE BOSSES - AND THEY EXPECT THOSE ELECTED TO TRULY REPRESENT THEM...NOT JUST BE A SILENT PARTY LOYALIST...
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