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Sunday, June 1, 2008

Democracy or DemoNakKerusi?

Malaysia tends to present dozens of parties because there are hundreds who would like to become leaders. People who will vote become divided into dozens of factions, perhapas because of ideologies but more often because of race or religion or constituent states or because the potential leaders have the wherewithal to finance the setting up of a party.

Elections may not result in the best candidates winning. Bribery, thuggery, badmouthing, religious trickery, nepotism and numerous other unsavoury ways can bring victory to the candidates least suitable to lead a nation. On the other hand, the voters are not averse to using threats and demanding bribes either. They make ridiculous demand especially from the candidate on the government side. Their constituency or their village leaders or they themselves would demand for prestige or unnescessary projects. They demand for money to defray the cost of campaigning which too often goes into their own pockets. The party machinery may suddenly shut down in the middle of the campaign. Lots of time, money promises have to be made to get the machinery going again. Local leaders with influence or candidates who are not selected would threaten to withdraw the support of their personal followers. More money will be needed.

Losing one supporter must be replaced with two, one for not getting his vote and one for his vote being given to the opposition. It does not matter if personally the other candidate is totally unsuitable to lead, he would be supported to spite the candidate who failed to cater to the demands and threats by a few voters. It is not the majority who will wins. It is the cunning few who determine the victor in a closely contested fight. That is democracy.

Political campaigns never stop in Malaysia. It goes on from the announcement of the results of the current elections to the time when the campaign for the next elections begins. So the government and the government party must also campaign every day during the years in between elections. There is no end to political campaigns. It saps the energy and occupies the time of everyone, energy and time that should be spent on governing and developing the nation. When governments are weak, even good leaders cannot produce results. They are perpetually worried whether they would get support or not for whatever they are doing, whether they would be re-elected to finish their work. Weak government may be overthrown by street riots, strikes etc. The result is democratic anarchy. The people suffer from too much democracy.

Only a miracle leader can produce results in one term. It is impossible for a developing country to develop if every five years a new policy and plan is launched by a new leader to make a mark for himself. As a leader, knowing the routines and the procedures would take a year. It would take two years more to formulate and get parliamentary support for the policy, and the two years that are left are not even enough to launch the plan or policy, muss less to see results. Democracy in Malaysia is perhaps the best system to throw up good leaders but as has been pointed out, there is no guarantee that it will do that.

6 comments:

  1. There is no guarantee in anything. Politics is Politics but I am of the opinion that if TOO MUCH Politiking on both sides, what will happen to the rakyat??

    Politiking involves too much talking, coaxing, convincing us the rakyat who is right, who is doing the work and who is actually running the country.

    And you are right that too many Political parties do not necessarily mean good for the rakyat. One main party with good track records, proven to be relevant and strong enough for the survival of the Malays and Islam is good enough for us.

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  2. Sewajarnya parti2 yang membentuk kerajaan terutama ahli2 parlimen yang telah di pilih rakyat memberikan fokus membantu rakyat...menjaga kebajikan rakyat...membangunkan negara...mengekalkan kestabilan...memupuk perpaduan...bukannya berkempen tak habis2...

    Lagi satu yang saya tak faham kenapa Kementerian Penerangan yang mempunyai pegawai yang agak ramai tidak boleh menjalankan tugas mereka memberi penerangan dengan baik kepada rakyat tentang segala dasar dan polisi yang telah dibincangkan yang memerlukan kerjasama rakyat untuk melaksanakan semua itu....

    Masalah dengan pemimpin2 hari ini terutama yang berada di bawah pimpinan ABDULLAH BADAWI(samada dari pihak kerajaan mahupun pembangkang) mereka ni semua syok sendiri...perasan bagus...

    Contoh jelas ialah apabila si mamat DOLAH ni beria2 menggagaskan ISLAM HADHARI...penerangan yang jelas tidak diberikan. Isi dasar..Kerangka perlaksanaan.. kaedah pelaksanaan..semuanya kabur...Apalah salahnya kalau dia dan menteri2 kabinetnya memfokuskan usaha untuk merealisasikan wawasan 2020? Ini lah susah bila dilantik jadi PM jadi 'penyapu baru'...semua benda nak disapu...jelas menunjukkan kurangnya wawasan...bukankah sepatutnya dia dan konco2nya berusaha ke arah kesinambungan plan pembangunan negara yang sudah sedia elok dirangka dan dilaksanakan?

    Saya rasa, pemimpin2 ni perlu di brainwash dan dilatih semula untuk tahu meletakkan keutamaan dalam mereka melaksanakan tugas sebagai pemimpin yang dipilih...Perkara pertama yang mereka perlu sedar ialah mereka jadi pemimpin kerana ehsan rakyat yang memilih...

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  3. kadang2 aku tertanya2... Banyak mana lagi yang perlu kerajaan sumbangkan kepada kita... atau apakah lagi sumbangan yang perlu kita beri kepada negara.

    Aku percaya setiap dasar yang dibuat ada yang tersurat dan ada yang tersirat. Mana ada kerajaan sesebuah negara tu buat dasar tak tentu pasal dan terus menjahanamkan negara.. Pokoknya.. sejauh mana ketelusan kerajaan membuat dasar untuk rakyat... atau persoalan yang paling utama.. Sejauh mana keberkesanan "delivery system" kerajaan di Malaysia..

    Siapa pelaksana dan siapa yang buat dasar.. Mereka adalah pihak yang berbeza dan berasaskan satu matlamat.. Hari ini perjuangan orang politik adalah tidak sama dengan orang2 terdahulu.. Dimanakah silapnya.. Siapa yang mengasaskan politik wang sehingga hari ini orang menganggap.. politik itu adalah kuasa dan kuasa itu adalah wang...

    Apakah fungsi Islam Hadhari dan apakah kita masih menuju Wawasan 2020.. Yang aku tahu peranan daripada pihak berwajib tidak dilaksanakan dengan bersungguh2... Seharusnya apabila diberi amanah dan tanggungjawab, mereka perlu melaksanakannya tanpa sebarang rungutan.. Lihat sahaja peranan daripada JAKIM... Perlu ada watikah dahulu baru ceramah itu boleh diterimapakai. Kenapa nak menuysahkan badan.. Nak bagi kursus kepada pencaramah dulu baru boleh disebarkan.. Apa gunanya internet.. Apa gunanya teknologi di Malaysia ni.. Tak bolehkah risalah-risalah itu disebarkan bertaburan tanpa memilih tempat dan masa.

    Apa plak fungsi Kem Penerangan.. Tak bolehkah digunakan media masa untuk menerangkan kepada rakyat berkenaan Islam Hadhari dan yang paling utama Kenapa nak kedekut ilmu.. sedangkan kita mengetahui maksud Islam Hadhari tetapi malas nak citer dengan orang lain.. Apalah salahnya baca serba sedikit berkenaan Islam Hadhari dan terus citer pada orang lain.. Kan senang...

    Terang 10 prinsip Islam Hadhari tu pun dah kira memadai...

    Sampai sekarang aku terfikir apakah sesuatu dasar itu akan terus dikecam jika orang politik tidak main peranan ataupun.. kita gunakan kebijakan kita sendiri untuk menyampaikan apa yang kita faham berkenaan dasar-dasar kerajaanb dan terus kepada rakyat. Dari seorang kepada 2, 2 kepada 3 dan seterusnya..

    Tq....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Den setuju apo yang dikato oleh si buta

    ReplyDelete
  5. agaknya sebab nak glamor la si azalina tu dulu masa jadi menteri KBS sesuka hati buat deal untuk bola CYC...nyudah nye skang, sabri chik gak yang pening kepala...dah tu, takut lak nak gi jumpa negotiate ngan mat2 salleh tu...yang jadi mangsa saper lagi? KSU la....hahahahha....kesian2....

    duit rakyat plak diperjudikan macam tu jer...juta2 lak tu...kalau gagal dlam perbincangan tu ape la agaknya depa ni nak jawab kat kita ek??

    ReplyDelete
  6. kalo nak tau pasal perangai azalina ni kena tanya pegawai2 di msn. habislah duit kementerian pelancongan lepas ni.

    ReplyDelete

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