Who’s Been Busy For Nothing?

The political scenario in Perak has been plunged into a state of utter chaos overnight, with assemblymen playing the vanishing game, hopping over, resigning and state assembly dissolved–taking the entire nation aback and unprepared.

Journalists are scrambling to get the latest updates, and before anyone could take a breather, MCA president Ong Tee Keat smashed out another shocker, "Hee Yit Foong's hopover is mere fabrication which has kept the reporters busy for nothing."

His words have left many with deep sighs: Who has actually been busy for nothing?

Perhaps the MCA president did not mean to ridicule the media for making indepth reports and then seeing their hopes dashed in the end, by saying that they have been "busy for nothing."

But after the media have reported the "controversial" remarks by Hee Yit Foong that "there is no abosluteness in politics," "it doesn't matter who's running the state government," and "I'll still be the same state assemblywoman whichever side I'm on,"–"busy for nothing" appears a comment that leaves much to be pondered, at least to the media.

By saying that the media have been "busy for nothing," Ong seems to have accused the media for fiddling with news of party hopping. As a matter of fact, the media have been giving its best shot to cover the incident, as this is the professionalism of the media industry, and its obligation of executing the fourth estate rights.

Government officials too have their own duties and obligations. While ministers, MPs and state assemblymen may vary in their ranks and status, they all share a common obligation, that is to "serve the public."

If they do not have the will of serving the people, they should not hold on to their posts. It is utterly frustrating to have voted representatives who have questionable qualities.

Drawing their salaries from the taxpayers' pockets, these assemblymen have the duty to shoulder the burdens of the public and serve all their needs. Absolutely no one is allowed to play the vanishing game.

Even if they fall sick, they still shouldn't disappear from the public's vision or even go into hiding.

Lim Guan Eng has made the right decision by enforcing a timeframe for state assemblymen to automatically resign if they are out of touch for more than 24 hours.

To those who are harbouring evil intentions to trade their state assembly seats, 24 hours is long enough to bring down a state government!

Those who are not loyal to their parties, exploiting the mandates given by the voters to trade their seats, are the selfish lot trying to garner personal gains. However, they have never expected that the Pakatan Rakyat state government could instantly turn against them and throw them out of the party. In the end, they may have to scramble to find excuses to justify their disappearances (being sick is the most commonly used pretext, which is also one that will win the most sympathy), in a bid to prove their "loyalty" and that they have never resigned.

After a few days of hoohahs, everything should be back to normal again. In the end, these people have not vanished, have not hopped over to the rival party, and have not resigned. Naturally there will be no by-elections at all.

Pakatan state government is once again put to test, but to really rule supreme, there is a need to enhance the qualities of their state assemblymen. Anyone implicated in corruption cases or wilfully expressing their intentions to hop over to the rival party must be eradicated.

The entire nation generally gives this farce a cold shoulder, but from this incident we have also seen the ugly side of politics.

In order to grab more power, many have put on their ugly and selfish faces for the sake of individual gains.

The voters should know how to make smarter choices in the next general elections! (Translated by DOMINIC LOH)