Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Questionable Moves

I wrote recently of the fresh efforts by the current Federal Government to redeem its position in the eyes of the public which has waned somewhat as evident in the results of the last general election. In that posting I thought that there has been a conscious effort by those in power to really do something in redemption. But the happenings since then do not much indicate this positive effort but they were more disheartening for me. There were too many happenings that raised suspicions.

Before the election, somebody in authority in the governing party said that the projects in one of the states will go on. Allocations for these projects, two of them mega projects, have been made by the Federal government. Indeed work have started for the projects albeit in the very early stage of implementation. The state however fell into the hands of the opposition party to govern. Now, the Federal government says that the project has not obtained any approval yet! Oh! Suddenly the project is not to proceed? Is it because it has not been approved or is it to teach the public who voted for the opposition a lesson for voting them in and the project is thus taken away. How could work have started if they have not been approved?

In another state, an animal management project, purported to be high-tech and touted to reduce pollution and impact on the environment, was proposed and approved by the previous state government. The new state government, formed by the opposition team after winning the election, decided to implement the project. The previous government came out very vocal, and sang damaging tunes on the extravagance of this new government on the project. I do not think the public is amused at this turn of events. They sank at the last elections and their behavior would only make them sink deeper.
A third state new Chief Executive recently ordered the removal of one of the departmental heads, the purview of which comes under the ambit of the state’s Royal Ruler. The removal of the head was ordered because of the non-compliance of this head to the directions given by the Chief Executives’ office. Today, over the news, reinstatement was directed by the Royal Ruler at the same time calling up the Chief Executive to explain his recent moves?

They say politics is dirty and the happenings around the country indicate that it is. But it is only those in power who makes politics dirty. Politics can be clean if the players play it clean. It is the opportunity to gain extra mileage, or for that matter to make gains more and more that politics becomes dirty. One of the worse kind is when politic is used as a platform to enrich individuals. Although there may not be any concrete evidence to prove that this happens but indications are that it does happen. We see politicians getting richer and richer and shamelessly flaunt their riches.

All that I said in my previous postings may have been said a little too early. I would like to see the developments taking place in the future to evaluate further and I only hope and wish that they will be positive for the benefit of this beloved country and its people, for the benefit of my children and future generations.

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya

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