Mr Prime Minister, show me the money!
Yes, as they say in America, “show me the money!”, or “money talks, bullshit walks!” So no need for Ismail Sabri to layan all these tantrums from Umno, Bersatu, etc. Just figure out how to put more money in the voters’ pockets. Loyalty comes with a price. Pay the right price and you will have millions supporting you in GE15.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
There is a period in history called ‘The Age of Revolutions’. This was the period between the American Revolution, French Revolution and Russian Revolution when empires and monarchies collapsed, and new countries and republics were created.
You can say in a way this was the result of the ‘Industrial Revolution’ in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, during the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.
The American Revolution was mainly about taxes and self-determination. The French and Russian Revolutions, on the other hand, were about hunger. However you look at it, they all boil down to money. People revolt and change their governments when they are made to pay excessive taxes or they are hungry.
The Russian Revolution was triggered when the soldiers were not paid for six months
Take Malaysia’s May 2018 ‘Revolution’ as a case in point. It was Pakatan Harapan’s honey-coated promises and masterpiece election manifesto that Malaysia would become Shangri-La once Umno-Barisan Nasional was kicked out that did the trick. No more GST, toll charges, etc., and the cost of living would drop like crazy. Even the petrol price would drop to RM1.50.
With the promise of more money in their pockets and a land of milk and honey, Malaysians voted for Pakatan Harapan.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob must focus on just one issue, the economy. Money, money, money!
Human rights, civil liberties, democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, LGBT rights, free and fair elections, transparency, accountability, separation of powers, and all those wonderful concepts are great on a full stomach. On an empty stomach, none of that puts food on the table.
Have you heard the saying ‘an army fights on its stomach’? The Russian Revolution was triggered because the army had not been paid for six months and the soldiers were hungry. The French Revolution was triggered because the nobles were upset about the King’s high taxes, plus the people were hungry (yes, the nobles were also behind the French Revolution).
The French Revolution war-cry was said to be ‘give me liberty or give me death’. It was actually more like ‘give me bread or I will give you death’.
GE15 is not going to be like GE14. In GE14, it was a promise of a better life under Pakatan Harapan, which the people foolishly bought. In GE15 it is going to be about how Ismail Sabri is ensuring that Malaysians can make ends meet in an era when the Ringgit is hardly worth the paper it is printed on.
Yes, as they say in America, “show me the money!”, or “money talks, bullshit walks!” So no need for Ismail Sabri to layan all these tantrums from Umno, Bersatu, etc. Just figure out how to put more money in the voters’ pockets. Loyalty comes with a price. Pay the right price and you will have millions supporting you in GE15.
