Two famous quotes came to mind when I read Haris Ibrahim's post on Jawah Gerang. He seems set to start the ball rolling in Sarawak, to change the people's mindset and control of the state's affairs, in this coming by-election in Batang Ai:
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. - Plato.
We must become the change we want to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi
The People’s Parliament :The return of the reluctant politician
Who is the reluctant politician?
In a post in November, 2007, I suggested that such a person “has what it takes, who doesn’t want to get into Parliament, but gets in out of love for his country and his people, does the best he can, and can’t wait to have someone take his place”.
I met and spoke to one last Saturday in Sarawak.
I am, of course referring to PKR’s candidate for the forthcoming Batang Ai by-election, Jawah Gerang.
Doesn’t want to get into Parliament, but is now willing to stand in this by-election out of love for his country and his people?
Jawah told me that after 22 years of active politics, and after being dropped from the list of nominations in the last general elections, he felt that he had had enough, more so after being sidelined by the BN leadership in Sarawak for no reason other than speaking up for the marginalised Ibans.
“Was that not why I was elected? To look out and speak up for my constituents? In BN, you get punished if you try and do what’s right, if what you try to do runs against the interest of the leadership”, Jawah said.
How should we judge a government?
In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X
Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain
Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham
"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan
Government fed by the people
Career options
Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
When there's too much dirt...
Prevent bullying now!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment