HATRED POLITICS & CLEAN CABINET

I am sad. Taariq showed me a full video clip from youtube on the clash between the PR and BN youngsters in Ipoh the other day. Unlike the PR fragmented version that showed only the part that attracted sympathy to the PR boys, the full version showed who really started the provocation. It was the PR boys.

Regretly, both the PR and BN sides were Malay youngsters, clashing with each other out of the hatred politics that has been implanted in them by their leaders. Now I understand why, and thankful to Allah SWT indeed, that there were no BN boys on motorcycles and cars in Alor Setar on the eve of and during the GE13. If the BN boys were also on the road of Alor Setar that day, the incident such as in Ipoh might have happened. Those PR boys roaming around the city of Alor Setar looked `ready' for anything. The BN boys on the other hand, wisely took the opportunity to disappear into house-to-house campaign, contributing partly to the victory of the BN in Kedah, so I was told.

Even now, after the GE13 and both sides won reasonably, the hatred politics is still being sparked for  personal aggrandizement. The gatherings at Kelana Jaya, later on at Ipoh, and today planned to be in Penang, are some of the examples of the occasions that might trigger further the hatred politics into destructive ends. The youngsters majority of whom love to be in such gatherings do not really understand the past history and the method of the main speaker. They too do not experience the sufferings of both sides during the May 13th 1969. Like myself during my youngster days, it is exciting to be on the side of anti-establishment. It was nice to criticise, but not to be criticised.

But why some people dislike the establishment? While waiting for our cars to be washed at a car washing garage in Permatang Pauh constituency this morning, an Indian told me that even though he is aware of the unfavourable deeds of the PR leader in his constituency, he still supported PR due to his frustration with the appointment of the people with `bad records' by BN government, such as the appointment of the Chairman of FELDA and the Chairman of RISDA. So was my feeling when some BN politicians were appointed as Ministers or Deputy Ministers in the previous Cabinet, although they have lost in the General Election or worst still, not even chosen at all to be contested in the General Election. So dear Datuk Najib, this time around for a real clean Cabinet, please appoint real clean records people who really sacrifice their contributive efforts into the Cabinet.

A Chinese woman (the owner of the garage) stressed that she does not mind if BN still rules Malaysia, as long as justice could be uphold and proven. But she chooses PR in the GE13 this time as she realised the monopoly of some corporations such as TNB (and ASTRO and Media Prima, perhaps) that creates imbalance in the Malaysian socio-economic and political atmosphere. Although she is uncertain of the ability of PR to fulfill her wish, she would like to give a chance to PR. If PR does not fulfill her wish, she would change back to BN in the next GE. So she is not happy with the term `Chinese tsunami' as for her, she supports DAP just because MCA did not do anything for the Chinese.

Another thing Datuk Najib, many Muslims feel insulted watching MAS offering alcohol on its international flights, as much as the Malays feel insulted when there were Ministers or Deputy Ministers in your previous Cabinet do not even once speak Malay. For a Cabinet to be loved by the people and a party to be gained the sustainability of its power, please take into consideration the above mentioned points.

AN OPEN HOPE TO DATUK MUKHRIZ

What a coincidence. I was in Kedah on the eve of and on the polling day itself, and Kedah has been won back by the BN. It is the only state amongst the PR-ruled sates (Kelantan, Selangor and Penang) that falls back to BN in this GE13.

However, I realised that I could not be a good political analysist. Based on the visibility of the PR, and especially PAS supporters on the road in Alor Setar during the GE13, I anticipate a bleak future for BN. But the result of the poll proves that I am wrong. BN won in spite of its invisibility on the road.

To the new ruler of Kedah - especially the Chief Minister Datuk Mukhriz - I appeal that anything Islamic that have been done by the previous government - to be continued, though as minor as the Islamic dress code. I was told by a waitress in the hotel I stayed that hotel workers were forced to have a free hair during the previous BN rule, before PAS-ruler make it compulsory for them to cover their aurat properly. So is the availability of alcohol at the hotel. It was not allowed in the hotel anymore during the PAS rule.

If you, Datuk Mukhriz, sustain such an `Islamicity', and moreover enhance Islam in the State, I firmly believe that Allah SWT will help you in governing the state, and sustain your power , InshaAllah.

SLEEPLESS NIGHT IN ALOR SETAR

I believe some of the PAS supporters in Alor Setar did not sleep last night. I was awakened  many times by the noise of cars and motorcycles with their sound of horns, and twice by the siren of police cars. It was really a lively night, but a little bit scary.

Earlier when driving around the town to observe the GE13 atmosphere, my family and I witnessed a lot of mostly youngsters on motorcycles and cars with PAS flags roaming around the town. Some of them have a rest by gathering at junctions of roads and sounding their horns whenever their counterparts passed through, before they themselves do their re-roaming. Luckily, other parties' supporters, especially BN were almost non-existent.

I pray that GE13 today goes smoothly and safely. It is an important event as Malaysians are to choose between certainty and uncertainty, between ability and inability.

BN vowed to continue its rule with some extent of certainty and has proved its ability to rule, while PR has yet to rule fully and has yet to prove its ability, hence the uncertainty. In some PR-ruled states, its ability is much to be desired. But even if BN continues to rule, the first lady has to be more motherly like the previous one, and more Islamic, while over-generosity and over-development has to be stopped. If PR rules, moral values have to be revived (for PKR), sense of racism has to be avoided (for DAP), and professionalism has to be ensured (for PAS).

We really need Allah to decide for us the right ruler for our lovely Malaysia indeed.

OBSERVING GE13 IN KEDAH

Arrived in Alor Setar, Kedah this afternoon with wife and all of my four children who are on holidays. The aim is two-fold. Firstly to be together with the family away from home while celebrating belated Ummu's 14th birthday; and secondly, to observe the 13th General Election in Kedah tomorrow.

My wife and children are at the Pekan Rabu at the moment while I myself am staying in hotel working to meet some deadlines. The works are quite delayed as I have to be recently in Ban Nua, Thailand for ISDEV Language Camp and later on in Medan and Prapat in Indonesia for the 6th International Workshop on Islamic-Based Development (WAPI-6) and 5th International Conference on Islamic-Based Development, as well as for ISDEV Academic Tour respectively. Together with me to Ban Nua were 12 ISDEV lecturers and postgraduate students while to Indonesia 51 of them.

PAS seems to be a liveliest party in Alor Setar, with a lot of banners and posters as well as PAS members and cars roaming around the city. In Penang, on our way out to Kedah, we saw BN banners and posters overwhelming the banners of the ruling DAP and PKR.

It is quite difficult to guess who will win the 13th General Election tomorrow. Reading their respective papers and speeches, both BN and PR are confident to win. But one thing obviously observed is the bias portrayal of the direct BN campaign in almost all mainstream media. I am afraid this will backfire the BN, as the mainstream media campaign for BN really insults the intelligence of thoughtful citizens. However, the same also happening in PR bias campaign in the internet. The nature of their reporting is almost the same as the BN campaign.

All in all, both parties seem attempting to win the heart of the Malaysians through whatever channels available to them, and most of them in both parties seem to attempt a win by exposing the evils of their political enemies. It is really difficult to choose a candidate that endeavours to win by his own strength, not by exposing the weaknesses of his political enemies.