Grassroots – The other definition, the destructive definition
By Augustine Anthony
Election period is all about throwing moldy breads and greasy butter and the expectation that people will always run unabashedly and scramble for it like hungry Tilapias in polluted ponds. The previous by elections are proof that the people are biting less and less of these barter baits. However for politicians who are bankrupt of nation building ideas, brute strength and primitive patronage lyrics of a bygone feudal system are the only songs left in their iPods.
This is awful!
And I mean awful by the decision of UMNO and Barisan Nasional in fielding Isa Samad (Tan Sri) as the candidate for the Bagan Pinang constituency by-election. I will say no more about the Barisan Nasional candidate or the Bagan Pinang by election but let us explore election time in Malaysia in general.
During election time, it is common to see and hear voters being promised with all kinds of frills in the coming days before polling. It will be the same re-run of the past election campaigns with no thrills of a nation building agenda. For too long, too many politicians from the ruling coalition have engaged Malaysians in this primitive barter trade shamelessly. “You give me the votes and I will give you the roads, boats, goats, dough in loads etc. etc. etc.” This scheming scheme had even turned some opposition politicians into tricky toads.
And the usual ceramahs with a generous dose of hate message. One will be disappointed if the expectation is that the speakers will engage in topics of nation building issues like creating new leaders out of the younger generation, eradication of corruption, improving the system of governance, encouraging better race relations, a promise of better education for our children, assurance of more job opportunity for voters that brings security for families, dedication in fighting escalating crimes, etc.
Election period is all about throwing moldy breads and greasy butter and the expectation that people will always run unabashedly and scramble for it like hungry Tilapias in polluted ponds. The previous by elections are proof that the people are biting less and less of these barter baits. However for politicians who are bankrupt of nation building ideas, brute strength and primitive patronage lyrics of a bygone feudal system are the only songs left in their iPods.
The usual excuse for fielding these old (but more importantly) political personalities of questionable character as opposed to the more deserving younger candidates is always punctuated with a creepy catchword that the so called candidates with questionable reputation still enjoy grassroots support.
So let us try to understand what grassroots support means in this context.
Let us look at grass, its roots and how to create grassroots.
First one must identify a plot of land. Then remove any shade giving trees by cutting them down. Then plant the grass. And why would someone plant grass in a given area. The answer is simple, for the grass satisfies the needs of the one who plants it and makes him its master. He can trim it the way he likes it (unlike towering shade giving tress), walk on it, step on, roll on it, run on it, play on it, jump on it, stomp on it, use it and even abuse it. The grass will always be there for the master to do whatever the master wants to do to with it. These are the simple reasons as to why he keeps a lawn. It becomes the home turf of the master to do whatever he wants with it.
Read more at: Grassroots – The other definition, the destructive definition
