On changing horses midstream and the man who can walk on water
SAKMONGKOL AK47
The PM told the people not to change horses at midstream. So we asked- we don’t change even if the horse is limping and is running on 3 legs? In endurance races, riders change horses in order to arrive at the destination. Malaysians should be pragmatic when it comes to deciding their future.
Midstream for BN and UMNO is already over 50 years. Since 1955 when the first elections took place until now, from Perikatan to BN, we have had more than 50 years of BN rule. What do we have? We have development for sure- but are also damaged by rampant corruption, utter disregard for the rule of law, abuses of all kinds, political manipulations, deception and lies and gross mismanagement of the economy. To all that, the PM says, we don’t change? If we don’t, we shall have another 50 years of unchecked corruption, emasculation of the judiciary, thugs running the legal institutions, abuses and gross mismanagement.
At another place in his speech, the PM says, we don’t know whether the opposition knows what to do if they come into power. We don’t know whether under Pakatan we can achieve a developed status by 2020with the fabled per capita income of USD15,000.
Of course Pakatan knows what to do. In the short years they came into power; direct investments have been highest in Pakatan led states of Penang, Selangor and Kedah. These states have achieved balanced budgets without doing arithmetic tricks. In Penang which is led by non-Muslim, grants to Islamic religious institutions have reached RM 30 million a year. Compare that to Negeri Sembilan, which is led by a good Muslim, the grant is only RM 12 million a year. How is that possible? Because the state coffers have been managed better in one state that in the other state which is managed by BN and UMNO.
So in answer to the PM’s pained exhortations, change horses if and when necessary. It’s now most necessary to change the tired horse. Retire him. But as a good animal lover, we won’t put it to sleep but maybe employ it as a riding horse for children.
