Malaysia, a nation under wraps
Every deal made, every paper inked continues to remain under wraps.
Is Malaysia a huge nation compared to its neighbors? Is the population the largest in the region? Silly question? No!
If Sabah and Sarawak decide that enough is enough and pull out from Malaysia, what would you have got? Another ridiculous question? No!
Or is Malaysia having far too many enemies surrounding its entire coastlines and aerial space that secrecy is extremely vital? Another stupid question? No!
No is the answer because if you take the total number of things that are under some form of secrecy, you begin to wonder why. Even the USA has humbly accepted the fact that its very own Pentagon is under surveillance 24/7.J. D. Lovrenciear
But here in Malaysia – a tiny liliputant in the face of the world, we seem to have so many contracts and concessions and monopolies under some sort of shrouded wrap. The very fact that we still have the OSA tightly in place goes to show how the government has taken the rakyat for fools for far too long.
Today in this century the world has shrunk. It has almost become visible to all and sundry. The advent of the internet and its latest arrival of Wikileaks including its predecessor Youtube, the Google Earth, the international accounting standards, the eavesdropping and visual surveillance technology – all of these and many more have made it almost near impossible for nations to remain in wraps.
But in Malaysia the government uses the draconic ISA and the PDRM as well as the Judiciary to keep the rakyat blind-folded and ear-plugged as well as glued in the mouth. The on-going issues surrounding the IPPs is a classic example.
Now really this nation – mind this tiny nation, to whom does it belong? Does it belong to all the present and future citizens or only for a select few and especially those in power? If that be the case then stop kidding everyone by saying that Malaysia is a democratic country.
Going to the ballot box every five years is not the hallmark of a democracy. Doing away with oppressive laws, draconian control measures, threats over public show of protest to register concerns peacefully – all of these are the defining moments of truth for true democracy and civil liberties.
As such, each time the ministers holler that this and that contract or agreement involving the resources of the nation and its management cannot be shared with the rakyat, it makes you wonder whether the rakyat are communist insurgents or terrorists. It makes one feel that only the BN ministers are protectors of the nation and everyone else – from opposition leaders and MPs to the tax paying rakat on the street are hoodlumps who cannot be trusted.
Then who is going to supervise and ensure that there are no robbers and thieves within the BN who may in all probabilities be the real robber barons. We are talking about mortal man – not a heavenly angel please. And even then, do not forget that scriptures and holy revelations teach us that angels too have fallen along the way.
Oh no. We should not say such things. The BN government is the only God-given blessing from above for the past, present and future of the nation. Everyone else is a problem-rouser or a plain sick-o.
And in that spirit, every deal made, every paper inked continues to remain under wraps. Indeed, if you took inventory of all that is kept tightly inside the OSA labelled jars, the whole nation comparatively is under wraps.
Perhaps Pentagon should come here to learn a thing or two. Here is a tiny nation that has almost everything crucial to national survival under wraps while the citizens remain dumb, deaf and blind without any say on the development of its resources.
In a nutshell, either the BN-led entity and its entire band of leaders are far too smart (or sly if you like) and the rest of the nation are plain dummies (or helpless feeble nerds if you like).
Let us have a debate – agree, disagree or couldn’t care a less.
