By Anthony Dylan
When a glass is halfway filled with water, how would you describe it? Is the glass half full or half empty? How would you interpret each answer? This is a common question often asked as if it is a barometer of one’s attitude. It forms a set idea or a set commonality which determines its accepted answer. But is this acceptable?
Today, as you read this; Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu have all dissolved their state assemblies. They did not follow the last General Election 15 on 19th November 2022. We had the results on 20th November 2022 but only a unity Government on 24th November 2022 when the 10th Prime Minister was sworn in. Hence, the moniker; “PMX”.
The dates for the state elections in these 6 states would likely be announced or have been announced when you read this article. Would the elections form a referendum of the unity Government? Regardless, it would. Hence, the call once again for all eligible voters to not waste their voice. Your vote is valuable to light the path ahead for where you want your state to head to.
As most are tech savvy nowadays, the campaigns would likely be held online. Tik Tok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp and Telegram would be used to the hilt. Opinions in the news would come out. Unlike in the early days of 2008 when blog writers had a field day as with Black Berry Messengers; now you have creative contents.
The air of caution is that the state elections would be one where gloves would be taken off. We hope that race and religion are not used as rhetoric but with some political parties; this would be their weapon of choice. Do beware that once we head towards letting elections just be for those who fervently vote and yet, do not vote ourselves; we may be heading towards a situation that is harder to reverse.
Nothing comes easy nor does it take a short time to address. Some may be irritated and disappointed with the previous and current progress and the attitude. But, remember the larger picture, at least for now. Much has changed since 2008. The cornerstone of people power. The times when many went to the streets for a good cause. Not for themselves but for the next generation. Those people who went through the stations, got chased and water cannoned. Remember then, many in Malaysia were united against oppression and injustice. Belief turned into reality. Do not throw away what was fought against for you today. For your generation and beyond. Politics has changed.
Today we see the required situation for warring parties of before to work together. For Malaysia. Sarawak and Sabah have also thrown their weight in support first. Whatever is now given is not new. Any, if so, are the rights within the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Perhaps this topic should be part of the school syllabus. Let everyone understand that Malaysia is not just Malaya. It is a contract between Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah as we know today. The Federal Constitution has changed the wordings to provide Sarawak and Sabah as a separate entity of Malaysia compared with the Malayan states. Hence, why the Sarawak Government has alleviated the Chief Minister to be a Premier. The 22nd of July 2023 would be Sarawak Independence Day. 60 years since 1963.
It is now 2023, much has changed. To be honest, it has gone for the better. Why? It is due to the very fact that no one can stand alone anymore in Parliament’s 222 seats. Parties must work together. The irresponsible individual frog hopping activity has been curtailed with new laws. Never once in my lifetime would I dream of a unity government. Never once would I have dreamt that Sarawak and Sabah are both now ruled by local parties within their region. Alas, let us not breed complacency.
It is with the fear of complacency that we should continually make an effort to bark at our representatives whether they have been voted in or not. I would love to see the local government elections come back. It would be interesting to vote for our own Mayor, Yang Di-Pertua (YDP) and councilors.
The current climate is heading forward. Even if you do not see or feel it fast enough, you cannot deny that we have progressed. One thing a unity government provides for now is the halt of salvos upon salvos of perception gaming. It is now important to focus on the social and economic environment of the people.
We would need better education, welfare and healthcare. We need to care for our doctors and nurses and all those at the front line. Remember Covid-19. Malaysians were also united again. We cannot forget their sacrifices by them and even the police, army, government officials and many volunteers who care for nothing but for the human race. We would need to have our people well educated and knowledgeable not only in typical academics but in vocational studies. There is so much to do.
Those 6 states are the forefront of an exciting new future. Terengganu and Kelantan need to be pushed up as a hub of transformation. It is closest to the South China Sea. Shipping, fishing and fish canning can be a huge economic boost for the people. Selangor and Negeri Sembilan are just next door and are ripe for investment, especially connecting the west coast all the way to Perak. Penang and Kedah are also neighbors and would do well to be the northern economic powerhouse.
Is the glass half full or half empty? Those who said it is half full would normally be tagged as being optimistic and positive. Those who say it is half empty would be typically labelled as one who is pessimistic and negative. But what if I said, “A glass half full breeds complacency whilst a glass half empty breeds the spirit to do better?”
There are two sides to a coin. It is still a coin, but which face do you want people to believe and yearn for. There are always two sides to every story. It is the power of the mind and mindset. It is the very thing politicians use to control you. They are not stupid. They feed on gullibility. They feed on the herd mentality. Like everyone else, they need power, and you are the source. But let them know that you can unplug them.v
