The Age Of Reason

Today it would seem that Politics rules every facet of our lives. It starts very early in the morning as you scan the front pages of our main stream media - any media: May it be those delivered to your front door or that which you choose to go to as you power your PC just after subuh prayers or over breakfast. It will occupy your thoughts as you drive or is being driven to work for to some of us the goings on in politics is more then a passing fad –it will decide the success or failure of your business, it will provide fodder for conversation at work and at play and for most of us our thoughts are of a Malaysia after the 13th general elections. If truth were told we are really not concern about who will be Prime Minister, about whether Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional will succeed at the polls. Our concern is for the future of our nation, our people and for the well being of the generation to come – that of our children. Our aspirations are for leaders who wants these same things as we do.

And here I am talking about the critical mass of Malaysians that will cast their votes at the 13th general elections – not the die hard supporters of Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat because for these people East is East and West is West and never shall the twain meet – and for these people nothing BN or PR do can ever be wrong! I am talking about the critical mass within our population that thinks rationally and can decide for themselves what is the right thing to do for the common good of all of us.

We bloggers sometimes get carried away in the heat of the moment and think that what we write and read on the NET is the heartbeat of our nation. We think that what we write can move our people to our way of thinking about Najib or Anwar, about Pakatan Rakyat or Brisan Nasional. We think at times that our opinion matters and our arguments for and against issues and controversies in politics will sway public opinion against those whom we support or oppose.

Nothing can be further from the truth. All that it would take for any of you to dismiss steadyaky47 from your presence is the same thing you would do to dismiss an irritating mosquitoes or a fly from your presence – a flick of the wrist for the fly and mosquitoes and a click for steadyaky47. I know of this because that is what I myself do to anything that I find on the NET that offends, irritates or disagree with me. If there is room for banter, leeway to discuss or even an indication that the blogger will welcome my views on the matter that I disagree with – then for sure I will tarry a while and give the blogger my two cents worth of my opinion on what has been written. If not I will not waste a second of my time and go on to more interesting things to pursue on this world wide web!

I say these things because I find that the comments now being made on what I and other bloggers write have become offensive rather then constructive, hateful and spiteful rather then helpful and certainly indicates a propensity for readers to view anything that they do not agree with as being offensive are to be condemned without any further thoughts as to the rationality or the right or wrong of what has been written. I myself have struggled to maintain a sense of objectivity and rationality over what I write though having identified myself as being an ABU supporter this may, to most people, already put me in a place that is beyond redemption for those that are against ABU. Perish that thought!

I am for the common good of our nation, our people and for our future generations for what is good for them is also good for me. Corruption, money politics, arrogant politicians and having a government that is not open, accountable and responsible for its actions is not good for our nation, our people and our future generations – and so is not good for you and me.

And so increasingly as the 13th general election draws closer my thoughts are of the choices now in front of us. I see Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat as being two protagonist being ever reluctantly brought to a level playing field in the run up to this general elections. I say a level playing field because no longer can either of these parties hide from what they have done in or out of government. Both these parties are now being stripped bare of any pretence, any bluster, lies or half truths by the relentless probing of the free electronic media that gives complete freedom to the public to read and think for themselves what is right and what is wrong in the things that they do. And none more so manifest this reality then the recent NFC debacle and the goings on in the Bersih 3 situations. Without a doubt NFC caused much pain to Najib and Bersih 3 to DSAI because of the manner in which the public will judge their actions come polling day at the 13th general election – despite the fact that NFC happened before Najib’s tenure as Prime Minister and DSAI has denied any attempt to hijack Bersih 3 for his own purpose. Notwithstanding these ‘facts’ it is the public that will decide!

And tell me my friends, what can steadyaku47 or any blogger do in the face of these ‘facts’ to decide, change or shape public opinion of what is going on in our nation today? We bloggers can only be the messenger of these things and put into the public domain what we know and what we feel the public should know about Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat – it is the people that decides what is right and what is wrong, what is hearsay and what is gospel and in the process the people decide who will lead them after the 13th general election!

And that is where we are at now with the 13th general election just a few months away! I will attempt to do just that. As I have said before we bloggers can write good or bad on just about anybody. That anybody can be from Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional. From East or West Malaysia. Malays or non-Malays…..all that I ask myself to do is to write for what is good for our nation, our people and our future. To do otherwise is to abuse the trust of those that read what I write.