Mahathir’s misrule…..Najib’s becomes his mule!

When the Barisan Nasional government ignores a problem it festers. It will continue to fester until it explodes in the nation consciousness and the weight of public opinion makes it necessary for the government to do something – anything! 

As is now happening with corruption, manipulation of the Judiciary, the abuse of power by those in power etc. We must not forget that all the stories and cases coming out into the open now did not happen under Najib’s watch. It was allowed to take root during Mahathir’s regime. It peaked during Mahathir’s time and whatever damage done to the nation was done during Mahathir’s time. Why has it taken so long for these wrongs to make an impact in the consciousness of the people?

This was also the case with the ISA. Under Mahathir Ops Lallang came and went with hardly a ripple except amongst those who were directly affected. Now all the Government has to do is arrest one individual under ISA and the whole nation knows and many thousands will demonstrate against it!  When this happens then attention is focussed on the issue simply because even the mainstream media cannot ignore the matter anymore and has to report it. What the public cannot get from the mainstream media they can now get from cyberspace and from international media that has no qualms about reporting such happenings. Once these demonstration is over the government still cannot hope for interest in the subject to disappear. So there is talk from the government about allowing demonstration to take place is certain places – stadium etc while there is also talk about the ISA being looked at  – hints of a change perhaps or simply playing for time? The reality now is that to put any individual under ISA would need careful thinking on the part of the government lest the people take exception to its action and demonstrate again.