For whatever its worth (37)

50 years of independence has indeed seen tremendous change in our thinking and values. We are more appreciative of what we have built and believe in in-fact we strive to be at par with other developed states in terms of progress, democracy and justice.

I have to admit that I felt very delighted and at ease upon reading a letter in THE SUN today sent by SHAH IZRON DADAMEAH of Subang Jaya. People like the writer convince me more that we have indeed gone far from our early days 50 years ago.

SHAH wrote:

Let us also take a look at some politicians in this millennium. To date they do not understand the meaning of OPPOSITION. I have noticed how some of them portray members of the opposition parties and their supporters as traitors to the nation or enemies of the state. They do not understand that being on the other side means just a healthy sign of what a democratic country should be.

In Selangor the Opposition Leader YB Teng Chang Khim had been suspended indefinitely without pay for misbehavior in the Dewan, an arbitrary punishment never meted before in any Commonwealth country to date, and Selangor is supposedly a Developed State?

In the recent Ijok by election we experienced that not only do the ruling party leaders and members portray the opposition party as traitors and enemies of the state, even the police force jumped into the bandwagon by treating all opposition members as criminals!

In one incident a group of PAS members were beaten up by 30 Umno thugs soon after Subuh prayers, one had to be rushed to the ICU, and when the police came, the thugs continue beating the helpless victims without the police officers doing much to alleviate their misery.

Then let us not forget that till today the Federal and State Governments controlled by the BN only offer development funds to their respective MPs and State Assemblymen and not to the opposition. Therefore it is only true when SHAH wrote:

There are still people who do not know that a country is governed with money taken from them through the taxes collected. Nobody wants to tell them that.

After 50 years of independence the rakyat may demand for a more transparent, corrupt free and just government and society. Yes they deserve it. But as long as those in power refuses to change and accept these healthy signs of a democratic country, we have a long way to go.