Change the Top!

It is odd that Malaysians can give UMNO led BN/Parti Perikatan 51 years of power and particularly continue to vote them in the last 20 years despite the emergence of corruption and abuse of power by the Government. Yet some of my friends and acquaintances 'complaint' about the Pakatan State Governments that they are not doing enough, and that after that Alliance took over some States 9 months ago. 

Let's look at some undeniable facts:-

1. The powers of the State Government have long been stripped by the Federal Government, particularly during Mahathir's regime.

2. The State's main revenue is some land tax and other minor taxes here and there, but the Federal Government has control over all Minerals (including Oil) and collects all major Tax (like our Income Tax).

3. The Civil Servant in the State Office have been working under below average governments all this years. The same Civil Servants are still there.

4. Many of the nonsensical decisions (like approving school lands for commercial project at Bandar Utama) was done by the former Government.

These are facts of what is happening. I have spoken to many State Assembly Representative and Member of Parliaments from Pakatan, and they have quietly disclosed that money is short and the Federal Government has cut off fundings.

I write this as I feel it is just unfair to attack the Pakatan-led State Goverment after only 9 months. To attack them that all they do is complaint about the former State Government is also unfair, because of the sheer magnitude of Shit that was left behind by the former regime, forcing the current Governments trying their best to make do with a Shit system they inherited. 

I speak with this firm view, as my work forces me to deal with the system all the time, and I can only say this - the system generally, sucks. I can however feel that since Pakatan took over at Selangor, Land Matters are better dealt or at least improving. It will take some time for them to impose change, as I feel in order to effect real change, 90% of the Civil Servant may have to be sacked. 

The trick is now, not to complaint about the current State Goverment, but to focus on change at the Federal level. I feel MCA and Gerakan should leave BN and join force with Pakatan. I know many leaders in MCA, and Gerakan, and some of them (like Dato Liow from MCA) have massive potential to lead well. 

MIC must also leave BN. UMNO is too strong and the Indian Community will continue to be sidelined. 

Eventually, I hope we can do away with this Race and Religion base politic and start to politic base on Issues and Matters. To me, the consumer which the Government must take care of is the People. The Government is here to serve us, and not the other way round. UMNO cant seem to see that. UMNO leaders have this misconception that they are gods and have all the right to do whatever they want in this country.  

I must however comment that the Pakatan government should be more prudent and make decisions which bring them closer to the People. 2 examples come to my mind :-

1. Lee Chong Wei should not have been awarded Datukship by the Penang Government. I wrote about this before in this Blog and feel the better way to immortalize Lee Chong Wei was perhaps to name a Badminton Hall in Penang after him. I feel we have cheapen the Datukship, and the DAP led government took that path merely to be one up on the gamesmanship that was going on with UMNO during the Permatang Pauh election.

2. Perak government in deciding to buy Camrys. I support the move to get rid of the Perdanas. That car is infamous for its gearbox problems, but perhaps Perak should have taken the lead by buying Wajas or even Perodua Nautica. Even Nissan's Grand Livina would be great.

That would put the former UMNO-led government to shame, and the humility of the State Excos to drive a more people-car, would have been good PR exercise. I recall a few years ago I met a Deputy Minister in Singapore and guess what car was he driving? A Nissan Cefiro, which was already a few years old. He had no driver and did not demand any special attention. He drove the car to the place of event, and just walked in as if he was one of the participant. What a show of humilty. (remember, Nissan Cefiro in Singapore is far cheaper, dollar to dollar; than Malaysian cars) 

I also wished Anwar would form a shadow Cabinet, something he has failed to do till now.

Other than that, I feel we should give Pakatan a chance, and like I said, focus on changes at Federal level and not attack the States.