Why I'm voting this GE13

By Sharyn Shufiyan

There are many things that we've inherited from our British colonial past; they helped us craft our federal constitution and they became the model on which we built our parliamentary and legal systems.

These are perhaps the good parts, but unfortunately, we also inherited the bad ones, like adopting paternalistic attitudes and prolonging their system of racial segregation.

Indeed our leaders learned well from our colonial masters.

Malaysians have largely been sheltered from a vibrant political history. We have been cautioned countless times that if we speak up, we will pay the consequences.

History has shown that we did pay; we paid with stinging eyes and heartburn, or with time under the ISA, EO or OSA.

Since independence, we have experienced prolonged indoctrination, of complete and absolute rule by a single party. It beats all other rationales of democracy.

We are such a young country that memories of the past are not too distant that it is so convenient to conjure the bogeyman to scare us into submission.

It is easy to feed an existing paranoia by propagating rhetoric that touches on our main weaknesses - race and religion.

And it has worked most times! For too long we have been baited into maintaining the status quo. We have been told to be appreciative and not to be ungrateful little children.

We are constantly reminded of the services that our ‘masters' have provided us, that they have taken care of us not because these services are their responsibility in the first place, but because they have made a ‘promise' and thus, have fulfilled and delivered to us.

It is sad that, we have not managed to free ourselves from the binds of political rhetoric that has been spewing from one generation to another.

What's more embarrassing is that they are the same things over and over again. It is disheartening to see how easy some quarters manipulate and make a mockery of institutions crucial to a democracy, most importantly the media.

The mainstream media is an unfortunate puppet that dances and twirls to the whims of its master, unable to break free from the strings that binds it to the puppeteer.

It is of grave concern that our institutions - the media, the judiciary, the anti-corruption agency, the police force - no longer serve the people but those who release their payrolls. I understand; their job is their bread and butter.

But I just wonder, as they gas a restaurant filled with families having lunch, or drag a woman, or beat the crap out of an inmate, or spin lie after lie, whether they are able to sleep at night.

These institutions which are supposed to be independent over the years have been bulldozed, trampled and desecrated so much so that a growing anger and distrust among the public is inevitable.

Our late prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman told Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh before he passed away that if ever he (Razaleigh) gets to power, he must amend the constitution to guarantee freedom of information. It was one of his greatest regrets that he failed to do whilst in office.

He acknowledged that without a free press, and active public opinion, you cannot avoid having a dictatorship in this country. Alas, his dying wish was not met and he prophesised what has become of Malaysia today.

When President Obama was re-elected earlier this year, he made this incredible speech, rousing even little Malaysian me.

"That's why we do this. That's what politics can be. That's why elections matter. It's not small, it's big. It's important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.
We have our own opinions.

"Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.

"That won't change after tonight, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty.

"We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today."

Yes, people in distant nations would give their lives for a chance at democracy, for a chance to make their voices heard. We have it delivered into our hands yet some of us continue to live nonchalantly.

If you are not already awake, wake up now for goodness sake. There is a truly good reason why a call for political reform is being heard louder and stronger across the nation.

There are serious issues that need to be addressed - far more serious than race and religion - real issues that concern you and me. Issues of poverty, of human rights abuses, of economic inequality, of corruption.

Corruption, even when it happen so blatantly, like the alleged cronyism of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, until now, justice has not been served!

Malaysia is at an interesting junction; we have never known any other way but the one we have taken for 56 years since independence and yes, an alternative way seems daunting because we have never tried it.

But it doesn't have to be. We need not fall for deceptions again. Now that the GE13 is just around the corner, the ball is back in our court. Malaysians young and old must take ownership of the country, of our right to vote.

It is insulting to our intelligence that certain quarters treat their positions in power as a God-given right. They and their friends have been too comfortable that they are disgustingly arrogant and lawless. This simply cannot go on.

When I was old enough to vote, I was unfortunately out of the country and missed my chance to vote during the GE12.

Now, as a first-time voter, I look forward to exercising my duty as a citizen. I would like to remind our leaders that they have a people to serve. That's why I'm casting my ballot come May 5.