Watching Things Happen!

It's some months since I posted anything on this site. The reason is: there were too many thing happening and I prefer to just watch. Let things settle down somewhat before making any comment. Giving views while things are happening is like evaluating a film before it ends.

The most significant happening to me in the last few months on the world scene is Obama's victory as the next President of the United States. Who'd have guessed that a non-white would make it to the White House? It just showed that even the whites can get fed up with their own kind when the leaders they chose failed them. Does that say something for the Bumiputeras? Or for UMNO, MCA , MIC, Gerakan etc for that mater? Pushed to the point of nausea, it doesn't matter who leads so long as he seems able, capable and has a clean record.

A second glaring truth that the last few months since August have shown is that: a transition plan for a change of leadership made by the leaders themselves may not hold any longer. People are becoming suspicious of a planned change because a plan carries many aspects the values (and interests) of the past. These can nullify the objectives of the change although some kind of continuity is required for sustained development. It's just that continuity should not mean 'more of the same'.

That says much for what we want in Malaysia. 50 years of independence have given birth to a new society with new values. The prosperous Malaysians already have enough of crowded modern shopping complexes and supermarkets, jammed-up highways and roads, beautiful house, fast cars, fast food, satellite TVs etc. The poor feel that they have been short-changed, neglected or cheated. Hence the increase in the illegal means of getting what they need, crimes and vengeance. If the rich continue to get richer and the poor poorer, the Police will not have an easy time to keep the peace.

Another interesting development is the changes brought about by the new Pakatan government in the states. Many old issues (some of them swept under the carpet) are being reexamined. If anything at all, the complacency and compromises on the part of the old regime would be shaken. It's of course too early to judge the performance of the new leaders but how the old leaders react to being put under the magnifying glass, is very interesting to observe.

Most interesting, we hear some old leaders defending what they have done in the past. Listen to them carefully. Any admission of errors or mistakes? It would be so heartening to hear any such admission for it means that the errors or mistakes would not be repeated the next time around, if and when they come into power again. More importantly, such admission would prevent the current leaders for pursuing the same course of event.

We have a couple of months more to wait for the next important step in the new political development of this country. I'd prefer to just watch until then, unless something disturbing happens. Life can be quite calm and peaceful when you choose to just watch, until you find a place where you can chip in with some impact.