Empty words
There are a few phrases that leaders use that really gets my goat. One is “we shall not hesitate to take action”. I have read this in the newspapers countless times and I have yet to have a thought cross my mind, “wow, they really mean it this time”. Usually what it means is that no action will be taken. However, recently, with the Pakatan Rakyat forming the state governments of 5 states, I have seen the police “not hesitating to take action,” against Lim Guan Eng, Khalid Ibrahim, Wan Azizah and other Pakatan Rakyat “yang berhormats”. Sadly, the thought that crossed my mind was not “wow, they really mean it this time”. It was more like “wow, there is clearly no hesitation when it comes to Pakatan Rakyat leaders even though they have been chosen by Malaysians to be leaders of the country.” The police were quick to harass these leaders but took no action against UMNO members who took part in illegal demonstrations and those who broke up the Bar Council Forum. Even when 5000 UiTM students reportedly demonstrated, no action was taken.
So can you blame me for scepticism when the ACA arrested 5 persons In Perak for alleged corruption? If these people are ultimately found guilty I would say “OK, great, they deserved to be caught and punished.” But right now it seems very coincidental that even a person like the late Zakaria was never arrested after all these years, but in a matter of months, these 5 were caught. And coincidentally in the middle of a by-election campaign.
The other phrase is “there is no political motive”. Which was what Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said regarding the introduction of the DNA Identification Bill to Parliament. Officials began drafting the bill in 2001 and after 7 years, it is now tabled in Parliament. So it must be merely coincidental that less than 1 month after the Home Minister, the Health Minister, the Prime Minister and several BN leaders were united in asking Anwar Ibrahim to provide DNA samples following allegations of sodomy, the first time I have heard them ever speak on this matter in the past 7 years, this 7 year in the drafting Bill is now tabled.
Recently, commenting on criticism at Saiful for swearing on the Quran that he was telling the truth regarding his allegation against Anwar, the Prime Minister said, “’According to Islam, an individual seeking justice should be respected.” Well, he did not say the phrase, but the meaning is clear: It should not be political; it is about justice, it is about truth and we should respect the individual. The Deputy Prime Minister was reported by The Malaysian Insider as saying “I have said from the beginning that this issue is a personal matter between Saiful and Anwar and has nothing to do with the Barisan Nasional.” This is not political.
Even Saiful himself claimed that the timing of his swearing was merely coincidental.
So it must be merely coincidental that the swearing was videotaped. Coincidental that this video of Saiful swearing on the Quran, using graphic language to describe his allegation of what Anwar did is playing everywhere at BN rallies in Permatang Pauh. How this is a display of respect for the individual by the Prime Minister’s party I do not know. How this is being treated as a personal matter by BN I do not know.
Merely coincidental. That was what Barisan Nasional candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah said about the presence of Lee Chong Wei at his campaign. He said Chong Wei was put on a private jet since he had quite a number of people in his entourage and it was difficult for them to book seats on other airlines.
So for some reason the Government could not wait to give Chong Wei his promised reward. And Chong Wei had to fly back from China immediately. And then fly to Penang by private jet accompanied by the Sports Minister. And then chauffeur-driven to Berapit to a badminton court where he used to play, entering the venue escorted by BN candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his coach Misbun Sidek. And then sat there listening to speeches. And only later in the evening, at a basketball court in Seberang Jaya, in front of a different crowd, did he receive the RM300,000 cash reward and RM3,000 monthly pension from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak. I wonder if coincidentally tax payer money was used to bring Lee Chong Wei from China to Permatang Pauh.
These things upset me because things are said by leaders while their actions betray the emptiness of their words. The words roll off their tongue with practised ease, with little thought as to what they really mean. And if leaders do not take care to say what they mean and mean what they say, then can we trust them when they say that they care about all Malaysians, not just one race, that they will protect the rights of all Malaysians, not just those of one religion? And if these leaders use government resources and government employees willynilly, but coincidentally of course, to further BN’s cause, can we trust them to be good stewards of the nation’s resources?
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