He has also frequently made known his position on politics, whether in his columns or in his public talks, that he is not partial to any political parties, and will make decisions and choices during elections in accordance to his conscience. For the coming general elections, Dr John has made up his mind, as expressed in his latest article "Why I would not vote for BN".
He gave 3 reasons:
- The issue of leadership integrity. I voted for the Pak Lah government at the last general election and even convinced all my friends to do so, simply because I believed in Pak Lah and all the promises he made. He has not delivered on many of his promises. Granted, five years is not enough, but surely the political will and intent will be visible by now, if there is any. I do not see it yet, having served as a government servant of 32 years. Neither Umno at the highest level nor MCA at the grassroots level (in my constituency) gives me confidence that Pak Lah, given another five years will and can make a difference. [...]
- My representatives at the grass-roots level have also let me down. During the 1999 elections, I brought both the Adun and my then future MCA MP to review the situation of the “rape of the green lung in my neighborhood.” Alas, the government cronies did what they wanted to do; they raped our 30-year-old green lung without even a proper hearing. [...] Sorry MCA representatives, even if Mr Ong Ka Ting personally appeals to me, I cannot vote one of yours as you are part of the problem.
- Local governance is at its worst ever. How can the government of the day be arbitrary in the “governance of the public spaces of life?” While Citizen Nades has been fighting through writing (exercising the power of the pen), it appears to no avail. [...]
We are all part of the civil society that is pushing for change, and everyone has their roles. People like Jeff Ooi and myself have decided to take a stand via direct involvement in politics, while others like Dr John has made his views known to influence the vote of the public. It is clearly not enough for us to keep our views to ourselves, and vote for the party of our choice come the next general elections.
To effect change, there must be a mass movement, and it involves everyone, yourself included. We need to ensure that the message gets spread, not just to our family members, but also to friends, neighbours and the community. You can do so by printing leaflets and dropping them into mailboxes (I can help), sending out mass emails to everyone in your address book, and raising these issues at breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner functions. This is our Malaysia, and its up to us to redeem the country.
So, what is your stand? And more importantly, what are you going to do about it?
21 comments:
My stand is to vote according to the quality and integrity of candidates, not according to colour of skin.
For the betterment of Malaysia in the future, we should discard race base politics. All Malaysians should have this thinking, or else, Malaysia will not go far.
Rest assured that your party as well as the whole Oppositions have my support thru the ballot box this time.
But make sure the crux of the message reaches the rural majority. Otherwise BN will have the slight edge in the coming GE.
三大民族和谐共处的天大谎言
拥有120万个党员的马华公会总会长黄家定，在北京马来西亚大使馆和85名马来西亚留学生聚餐时发表讲词：“有些人吃软不吃硬，低声下气和他们协商是唯一的办法”。
好一个黄家定、好一个马华总会长、好一个120万个党员撑腰的马来西亚国阵第二把交椅的龙头大哥！黄家定的金言玉语、铿锵掷地有声！有这么一个能够低声下气、奴颜卑膝、代表我们500万华裔同胞的黄家定，大家可以高枕无忧了！
有人鸡蛋里挑骨头说，低声下气是“乞怜”、是“乞讨”、是“仰人鼻息”、是“奴颜卑膝'。协商应该是“理直气壮”、“不亢不卑”、“据理力争”。
可是对统帅120万“大军”的黄家定，低声下气才不会触怒主子；低声下气才能够保住乌纱；低声下气才能够获得怜悯、施舍。
黄家定还说“马来西亚2008年财政预算案给有儿女攻读硕士、博士的镜头5000令吉的税务减扣，是“有那一个国家的政策可如此亲民、关怀”。
我敢肯定，黄家定为马来西亚的华裔同胞谋求福利、忙得昏天暗地，没有出过国，到过马来西亚以外的国家去看看。我可以肯定的说，黄家定没有到过澳洲、纽西兰、瑞典、瑞士、德国……还有好多好多的其他国家。所有黄家定根本不知道什么是公民的基本福利、权利！
有这么的一个代表华社的总会长……噢！我的血压飙高了，快拿药给我降压！
koonsuan
�ӵ�̨����ӵ��ֳ�ߵӦ��Ŀ����������ڲ������ʱ������������ϵı��ָе�����ʧ����ֳ�Թ����������������ڵĵ绰����Ŷ��������ֵ�����ȣ����ƶϻ�����4���ѡ��ͶƱ�������൱����So future YB Tony Pua, good luck!! Our votes will go to you!!
从电台与电视的现场叩应节目，大多数民众播电表达看法时都对马华在政治上的表现感到极度失望，呈现出怨气冲天的现象。倘若观众的电话代表着对政党表现的满意度，可推断华社在来届大选的投票趋向对马华相当不利。
Umno is the pits, it is a party of thugs.
明知国阵是老千，还偏偏将手上的选票投入他们的怀抱就是自讨苦吃吗！只希望经过这次的教训后，全国人民都能醒觉这个政府已经“过期”，不能再用了。
ktteokt
Why Opposition is Important for
A Democratic Country
民主需要反对党
副首相纳吉说，我国仅需国阵政府领导万众子民迈向繁荣与安宁的国度，并不需要反对党的协助或领导。这话并不中肯，民主需要强而有力的反对党 ，监督及制衡政府，防止权力造成权力的腐化。
艺术、文化与文物部长莱士雅丁说，在一个民主制度的国家，国会须要有反对党的存在，在先进国家都是如此，绝不是存有煽动性元素。在任何民主的国家，都会有贪污腐化的问题，反对党负起监督贪污、腐败的行为，质问政府机构的各种弊端，担任促进发展的角色 。
大马在2006年的贪污调查指数再次下跌，造成我国在国际社会上的廉政形象深受打击，首相署部长纳兹里说。贪污是“前朝政府”累积下来的问题，在前首相的时代已经严重。我国有官方机密法令、印刷及出版法令的箝制，反对党及媒体难以发挥监督作用，或许如此，我国在贪污调查指数不断滑落。
当年行动党国会议员黄朱强在国会里询问吉隆坡市长买车没有经过批准，首相署部长回答有，英文报访问国库局长，答案是没有，结果吉隆坡市长辞职，以超过市价购买的豪华汽车被拍卖，损失了纳税人一大笔金钱。从这一事例可看出反对党可协助监督腐败的行为。
敦马哈迪在退位后，却说国阵在国会享有的92%多数议席是太强了，并对民主构成严重的威胁。他相信大马必须拥有一个强大的政府，但不是过于强大，当他在位时，国阵所赢得的三分之二议席已足够了，超过90%的议席则是过于强大。他也说：“我们需要足够的反对党议员。”
敦马又说，如果政府在执政上犯错，需要反对党的提醒，纠正可能出现的错误，否则让人以为所有事情都是正确无误的。他以前做任何事若无法决定时，经常等待林吉祥的反应，如果林吉祥说好，他便开始做。
敦马还说，城市华人选民认为他们需要反对党为他们争取权益，希望通过反对党为他们伸张华人课题。
政治人物不在其位后，才看得清事实，看得更透彻，并说公道话，不但发人深省，而且令人感触良多。
陈建和
Tony, pls provide information on how to vote for Msians who are residing abroad. I will help to spread the word. Thanks.
--
Weng Hong
I read with interest the various articles on NEP and Ketuanan Melayu that appear frequently on your site and the numerous spirited discussions they usually generate.
I would much appreciate if you could allow me the space to relate my own experience with regard to this policy.
I am a Malaysian Chinese and come from a typical middle-class family. For most of his working life, my father struggled through a 9-to-5 job to bring me and my 3 siblings up, with me being the youngest. When my eldest sister completed her Form 5 education, my father made the painful decision to send her to a private college for a pre-u program and a year later, put her on a plane bound for Australia to do her undergraduate studies in Adelaide. Thereafter, as my brothers and I each completed our SPM examinations, we were told to travel down the same path that my sister had earlier taken and made our respective journeys to Australia.
As you would know, for a salaried man to send all 4 of his children abroad is no easy task. To do that, my father took out all of his savings, including his EPF, borrowed from his sister and mortgaged the house because he was adamant that his children should have the privilege of a university education and he was utterly afraid that the NEP's quota system would deprive them of that opportunity. Moreover, he was steadfast in his belief that the future of the Chinese in Malaysia is bleak and that it would get increasingly difficult for us to live at home with the Ketuanan Melayu concept and NEP looming over our heads.
Today, my father is in his seventies and 3 of his 4 children are now living far away from him as a result of the decision that he made over 20 years ago to ship us abroad. But he have no regrets because until now, he still believes that we are better off in foreign lands and it is not uncommon of him to remind us to stay where we are and not to go back. I used to think that he was being overly dramatic and pessimistic but as the years roll by, it is hard to deny that he may have made the right choice after all.
Upon my graduation in 1993, I came back to KL and worked in a bank for about 7 years. During that time, almost all of the younger generation officers and managers that I came across have received their education abroad through government loans and scholarships. Therefore, it is probably safe to say that for every other Malay dressed in a shirt and tie whom you meet on the streets today, most would have benefited from the NEP in one form or another.
So, sometimes, it does amuse me whenever I read those fiery comments on your site demanding for meritocracy and an end to the NEP. Because after more than 3.5 decades of enjoying a variety of privileges, how many Malays can truthfully say that they are willing to do away with the NEP? How many Malays are willing to live in a Malaysia that have no MARA loans, no MARA colleges, no preference for civil service intakes, no quotas for university admissions, no quotas for business investments, etc.? How many Malay parents are willing to mortgage their house to send their kids for higher education? I guess my point is if the majority population does not want to see an end to this pro-Malay policy, then a never ending policy this will be. Yes, you may say that this is a result of government propaganda but at the end of the day, any changes in the status of the NEP require the support of the Malay masses in order to avoid the inherent political risk.
Do I want the NEP to end? Yes, I do, but not because it is unfair, discriminatory, etc., that often have your readers all riled up. I want it to end for what it is costing the nation in the long run such as competitiveness, productivity and unity. I am not questioning Malay rights here although at times, I do hope that the Malays can rationally evaluate and study whether having those rights will be harmful to the nation's future.
Am I bitter about the NEP? No, I am not. In fact, I should be thankful for this policy because firstly, it had taught me what sacrifices mean as I witnessed my father's mid-life struggle to put us through university abroad. Secondly, the NEP had also taught me about discipline and hard work because had I failed any of my subjects then, it would have been my father's hard-earned money down the drain. Thirdly, it is precisely because of the NEP that I had the opportunity to be educated abroad and from there, the chance to work and reside overseas which broadened my life experience. And lastly, it is also precisely because of the NEP that I now feel pity and not anger, for the Malays because I fear that they have made themselves a silly trap that they can't seem to be able to get out of, even after nearly 40 years, in the form of this perpetual policy.
Audrey
I have no problem with social engineering to help lift the Malays. In fact, I feel it will be good for DAP to highlight support too.
The problem is ...
...the mismanagement of public funds, which can be used to help even those of other races
...the fact that migrants and converts leap-frog over the non-Malays, making the non-Malays perpetually 3rd or 4th class citizens
Come and see the dirty side of Malaysian's Judiciary under the UMNO government:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pehCiJLB37I
Former UMNO supporter
Dear All Citizens of Malaysia,
It's expected that Malaysia will be a net oil importer within the next 3 years. Hence where to find income for the country is now a big headache of the BN goverment.
Thus they must and will implement Value added tax (VAT) right after the next General Election, in addition to increase pertol, gas, toll prices, etc. Otherwise, where the hell they can find the money to sustain the NEP for the bumiputras?
A boomshell is awaiting to explode and the citizens will soon find their life in hell if they continue to support this short-sighted, narrow-minded, racial-based, corrupt BN government.
Wake up and vote for Opposition before it is too late. Instill wisdom to your kids. If the citizens really have wisdom, we won't have such useless government.
Ex-stupid BN supporter
Hi Aurey,
I read your message with interest, and we all apppreciated the efforts and selfless sacrifices made by our parents, to where we are. Let's salute them on that, and make sure that we would continue the educations and lesson learnt from your father and my father generation.
After 15-20 years of workings, and traveled to numerous countries of my job, honestly, I would say M'sia is not perfect, and we love that of our roots, and we all want it to be better, and I salute people like Tony, who would come out and serve, not many of us can do that, of family commitment, limited time we have etc. Above all, other than Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, M'sia living standard is probably one of the highest in Asia. And, to tell you the truth, we, Chinese have contributed greatly, after a long period of 30-40 years of distrimination, we could afford to receive good education out of our own pocket, "father and mother scholership". And, nothing beats initiative, and never give up attitude. The most important thing is that, we realized that we could not failed with the support from our family, we have the responsibility to lead our family, ourself and brother and sister, for not depriving them of the opportunity on our hands. I can give you many touching stories, where the kids, trying to go oversea without any monies from the parents, and many of them come back not only with a degreee, but with the life story that you can never learnt from the book/school.
On the other hands, if you have a rich parents or government whom would send you to the expensive education, maybe your mind set is not there, you would squandel all the efffort, monies and time, of the handouts given. Worst still, receiving education is just the beginning, you need to look for a job, go for interview, I can rest assure you, those who have received the true hardship would come out better when they come to this phase of life. The engineering term is anealing, where a iron would be stronger, if we have the heat treatment, prior to its usage.
Certainly, life is a journey, we lose some, we would take some, like yourself, I am sure you would be very successful in your career, base on the message you have provided. Let's be positive, we need many like Tony to come out, but most important, is to continue the baton passed on from your parents, give good education to our children, and contribute to the country, minimumly, be a good tax payer, than tax taker.
Dear Tony,
I read the Sun yesterday. Thanks for the bouquet of white flowers, teddy bear and message card you left near the place where the body of the young malay girl who was tortured and killed by a monster, was found.
I am touched by your sincerity and passion to serve the nation regardless of race and religion. I understand your frustration in fighting the over-strong corrupt government. I am convinced that the nation should give more support to the opposition now.
Hopefully you can gain support from more malay voters like me. We are all so sick of Barisan Nasional.
Best wishes.
Atikah
We saw scandal after scandal happened in this country, but who was held reponsible? Seems that the answer is 'nobody'.
Aparting from sleeping and finding ways to enrich his familiy members and his cronies, what has been done by this useless, innocent-looking-but-indeed-hypocrite-cum-corrupt Prime Minister?
Do we still need this kind of BN (Better Not) government?
I tell you, very simple lah.
Do not print your own posters. Listen to the Government boleh.
Print you-know-who photo waving that famous weapon in poster size. Then help BN with their campaign of fact and truth by sticking one weapon waving photo beside every smiling BN candidate poster. Boleh lah. Help the Government lah.
World's Ten Most Corrupt Leaders
(http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921295.html)
(Name Position Funds embezzled)
1. Mohamed Suharto President of Indonesia (1967–1998) $15–35 billion
2. Ferdinand Marcos President of the Philippines (1972–1986) 5–10 billion
3. Mobutu Sese Seko President of Zaire (1965–1997) 5 billion
4. Sani Abacha President of Nigeria (1993–1998) 2–5 billion
5. Slobodan Milosevic President of Serbia/Yugoslavia (1989–2000) 1 billion
6. Jean-Claude Duvalier President of Haiti (1971–1986) 300–800 million
7. Alberto Fujimori President of Peru (1990–2000) 600 million
8. Pavlo Lazarenko Prime Minister of Ukraine (1996–1997) 114–200 million
9. Arnoldo Alemán President of Nicaragua (1997–2002) 100 million
10. Joseph Estrada President of the Philippines (1998–2001) 78–80 million
Bodohwi and his family will soon top the table in the near future. Congratulations! Malaysia Boleh!
Please, please Tony,
Come to Subang Jaya
We want to vote you. We have enough of MCA LEE HWA BENG
The biggest mistake the BN is making is posphoning issues especially with price hikes and reforms. This is what the opposition should exploit.
Unless voters send a strong message to the BN otherwise, I will bet every penny that next year will be full of price hikes i.e., inflation will get out of hand. You will also see bailouts and schemes like e-kesihatan being implemented for cronies.
So opposition rallying cry should be
'Undi Barisan untuk harga naik dan lebih rasuah.'
散漫不力的反贪污局
马来西亚反贪污局的能力是令人失望的。厚厚的稽查报告尽是我国政府部门和机构涉嫌贪污的详情，令人民看了都觉得政府体制内的贪赃枉法已到了无法无天的地步，反贪污局却悠闲的，毫不紧张的告诉人民“会调查，会调查”，不起劲和散漫的态度，令人民实在无法对反贪污局的调查成果抱持乐观的想法。
政府口说要肃贪，却没有把独立执法的权力交到反贪污局手里。贪官污吏根本不害怕反贪污局会采取行动去对付他们。因为就算有调查，最后也会不了了之，所以怕什么？
政府体制内的贪污已成了马来西亚的文化，任何官员要“生存”，就必须照着官场游戏规则搞些小动作互利，国家及人民的福祉早被抛在九霄云外。
反贪污局的调查工作处处受限制。许多“特殊”分子和背景大有来头者更是untochable，不准动他一根毫毛，是受保护动物。反贪污局只能捉一两只倒霉的小贪官交交差，在人民面前做个模样。至于那些出现在稽查报告内，涉嫌贪污渎职个案的大小官爷，相信反贪污局这回依然没有“动”他们的能耐吧！
稽查报告对反贪污局来说，应是一个令反贪官员大流口水的宝藏，涉及的贪官污吏个个“又肥又美”，吃在口里一定能带来最高的口感享受，可惜，我国反贪污局徒具外形，有心无力，对着整个稽查报告只有看的分儿，做做戏随意调查调查。时间会过去，人民又善良兼善忘，一切就如风过水无痕，政府会继续告诉人民国家没有贪官污吏，而最妙的是，人民也会继续相信，继续投票给它！唉……
石君
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