All bad things must end, including BN?

They say all good things must come to an end. I wonder why not enough emphasis is given to the other end of the spectrum, where all bad things must also come to an end.

History has shown us how evil regimes, however mighty and strong they may be for a period of time, eventually come crumbling down. And interestingly enough, it is almost always the case that the fall is due to internal squabbles, incompetence, irrational behaviour and, of course, greed.

As night follows day, governments will eventually change. It is only natural. The reason for this is clear. Over time, people come to realize that a particular government and its manner of administration are no longer suited to the times.

Sometimes, a government refuses to let go of power and will do all that is necessary (and unnecessary) to be in power and remain relevant. This may lead to irrational approaches to things, thus making it difficult for a smooth transition of power to take place. It is in these circumstances that we see a veritable fall.

A fall is the effect of a push. When we do not want something and yet it is shoved in our faces, the only natural reaction would be to push that thing away, resulting in its fall.

Similarly, a government which is irrational and greedy would eventually fall. However much it tries to stay in power, if it continues to administer with policies that defy the wishes of the people, it will be pushed away by the people when the people have had enough.

In Malaysia, are we going to see a smooth transition or the fall of the current government? Will Barisan Nasional hand over its power when the time comes in a peaceful and gentlemanly manner, or will it make a fuss like a child refusing to return the neighbour’s bicycle after borrowing it for the evening?

Before long, we are almost definitely going to see a change in government at the federal level. People have come to realize that BN’s current policies are no longer relevant and beneficial to the country as a whole.

Over the years, we have seen how BN’s empty promises have led to decay in all aspects of life for the ordinary folk. At the same time, we see a handful of “superstars” becoming obscenely rich. There is no such thing as distribution of wealth in Malaysia.

People have come to realize that as a result of BN’s policies, certain people are getting richer while the ordinary folk are not seeing any improvement in their quality of life.

The NEP was introduced in 1971 for the eradication of poverty. And yet, some forty years down the road, we still see Malays being the poorest of the lot. This is despite BN’s yearly promises of advancement for Bumiputeras. Something is clearly amiss here. Why is BN consistently keeping the Malays downtrodden?

Irrational tactics

It is against this backdrop that we see today a significant change in people’s attitudes towards BN’s policies. This realization and the resultant frustration have resulted in the fall of BN in certain states, something the older generation could not have imagined.

It is also against this backdrop that we see the people’s acceptance of a multiracial and peaceful approach to things, as opposed to BN’s divide-and-conquer approach.

Having seen this uprising of the people, BN has now resorted to irrational tactics in its attempt to remain relevant and in power. And what better way to do that than to remove all the catalysts behind the uprising at whatever cost. Or so it thinks.

There is a cost to be paid. As a result of BN’s actions to destroy any form of opposition, the rule of law and the public’s perception of the judiciary have become victims in the crossfire.

Any country without the rule of law cannot possibly thrive in any way. Any country in which the judiciary is perceived to be biased cannot possibly win the confidence of investors and of the people in general. A country without the rule of law and an impartial and unbiased judiciary can never, under any circumstances, be considered a developed nation.

BN’s specific and actual allocation of funds (people’s money, mind you) are somewhat subject to secrecy. So when the ordinary folk do not see any form of help despite BN’s budget announcements, they tend to think that those funds must have stopped somewhere down the line. In such circumstances, how can the ordinary Malaysian avoid holding the perception that BN is corrupt?
Having been unsuccessful in playing the race card, it now seems that BN has resorted to the religion card. Perhaps this is its final act in trying to stay in power. However, Malaysians have come to realize that BN’s views no longer represent the views of moderate Muslims. And so BN has succeeded in isolating itself.

Puthan Perumal is an FMT reader.

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