Cakap cakap...the Iceman Cometh!

Are there any legal restrictions to UMNO’s political power? Do they have exclusive control over the government? Does UMNO have the approval of the people to do the things they do? Do they use force to maintain their power? Do they limit the freedom of speech, assembly and the press? Do they deny their people much basic freedom? Does our Prime Minister have supreme power not restricted by law, by any institution or by any group of people? Can he do whatever he please? And do UMNO and our Prime Minister conceal all this political trickery through rigged elections?

These are some of the questions that we ask today of the UMNO led Barisan Nasional Government! We know that UMNO took over our country during the 1969 May 13th Racial Riots to maintain order, security and its prosperity. That was over 40 years ago.

Questions are now being asked as to the relevancy of UMNO to the times that we live in today. Has UMNO served its purpose for the Malays? Do the non-Malays still want UMNO to lead? These are questions to be answered when we go to the polls at the 13th general election due before the first quarter of 2013 – less then 12 months away.

Already the last two general elections have been a watershed in the history of our nations. If anything it indicate that the people will now decide for themselves what is best for our nation, our people and our future.

The 11th General Election was a resounding endorsement of the incoming Prime Minister – PAK LAH. After over 22 years of the stifling and autocratic rule of Mahathir the people were eager for change. Pak Lah promised change. Pak Lah seems to promise an end to money politics, open and responsible government and 1Malaysia in its entirety! The people gave Barisan Nasional its biggest election victory ever – but BN and Pak Lah failed to deliver what was expected of them.

UMNO met its waterloo at the 12th general election! Five States lost to Pakatan Rakyat – amongst them the most developed state, Selangor! They lost their two-thirds majority in Parliament and for once we had a credible opposition in place.

And now the 13th general election is almost upon us. Ask yourself whom the people will now vote into government.

This is a people that understand political trickery. A people no longer ignorant of the abuses of neither political power nor are they unaware of money politics within both sides of the political divides. A people who have ably demonstrated in the last two general elections that it is they who will decide who will be in Putrajaya. And surely in what must be a politician worse nightmare, a people who has access to the good and the bad that any politician do, the promises made and not kept by these same politicians and with these and other relevant information at their beck and call, they will then decide who their elected representative should be. In short Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat will be facing an informed electorate able to discern the corrupt politicians from the honest ones, the good from the bad.

I am sure that there will be some amongst us that will vote along party lines, follow racial and religious divides and even some who would have got it all wrong despite every possible assist available to enable him to do the right thing….but that is human nature. What I know is that if there is any politician out there hoping to get elected for any of the above reasons then not only has he failed himself and his family but also his people and his country!

The fat lady is almost ready to stop singing. All you politician that has not done your work, lied to the people and used politics for your own ends -  you and I now know that the time for reckoning is near. You will be now be called to account for Altantuya, for PKFZ, for NFC, for your sexual indiscretions, your financial misdeeds, your arrogance, your use and abuse of executive power to benefit yourself….all this will now come to haunt you while the people decide what to do with you.

UMNO will begin to understand that no political organization can legitimately govern unless acceptance of its right to govern has been given by the people. And once given government there are rules of conduct that they must obey – and if you do not, then this general election will be the time the people will call you to account for what you did. Do not ever forget that it is the people who are the only legitimate source of authority for any government. And now the time nears for the people to give legitimacy to either BN or PR to be in Putrajaya.

For those politicians that have done good during their time in office then this 13th general election is the time for their electorates to endorse their time in office and elect them to another term in Parliament. For those who have not…..the iceman cometh!