Independents or Depending on Who Pays the Most?

 

I have to be straight to the point. To those who think that Malaysia needs independent candidates to change the political landscape in the country, it is another form of deception that will end up everyone feeling disappointed.

        In the major democracies around the world, there are only two major parties -- either the Republicans or the Democrats, the Labour or the Liberal. Before the formation of Pakatan, Barisan was the only coalition. 

        No matter how individual parties like PKR, DAP or PAS (when it was formerly under Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat) performed in the past, none of these parties could succeed in their march on their own to Putrajaya.

        Politics in Malaysia or anywhere in the world has always depended on the strengths of the coalitions. Hence, in the more mature economies, you either vote for the Democrats or the Republicans. 

        It is only in Malaysia that there are splinters everywhere. Splinters within Umno, MCA and MIC. Splinters within PKR, DAP and PAS. As long as there are human beings, there will always be splits whether you like it or not. 

        Along with this split in major parties, there are some strongly-opinionated individuals who are being propped up. I, too, have been offered to go for the kill. However, I declined for the simple reason that I am not a politician. That is not my calling. 

        I have better things to do. Even though I may criticize the politicians, many of them remain my friends, because I take my comments at politics into one compartment. 

        If Anwar, for example, can sit with Najib over a cuppa after a big argument in the august house, there is no reason why I should make people to be my enemies just because we take on different positions. This should be our attitude.

        To me, these so-called Independents :

• are "idealists" who fail to realise that at the most they can do is to split the votes. They will never be able to form a government on their own, unless some day, their numbers are too "big." Even that, they will have to form a coalition.
  
  
• will fail their voters and constituents, causing more frustrations. Assuming that I vote for Independent Candidate ABC (Ali Bin Chong). One day, Ali decides that alcohol should not be banned, and he supports the coalition that opposes a bill proposing to ban sale of alcoholic drinks. Ali would claim that he has the support of his constituency.
  
  On the next day, Ali supports the other coalition that bans the sale of pork in the wet market, and he claims that he has the support of the majority in his constituency. Where exactly does Ali stand? Who makes all the decisions but Ali Bin Chong and the people in his inner circle.
  
  
• will be doing exactly what the other politicians are doing. They will rationalise and stand by their decisions, just like what Pas and its president, Hadi Awang claimed that rasuah (bribery) is not haram (prohibited by Islam).
  
  It's not katak that we see, but also toads later that will jump here and there, and everywhere, depending on what they see as being expedient to themselves. No way, with 60,000 voters will a toad be able to represent all the voters. Just like the ordinary politicians, they will still have to make decisions that will not represent all their voters. So, where is the accountability? To his constituency, really?

        What is even worse is when the two major coalitions have equal numbers, and the independents become the kingmakers. Toads will start to negotiate, no? I think some of them will. It depends on who can offer the biggest carrot. 

        But, what these toads tell their constituency? 

        "We make this wise decision for your sake!" 

        You can say what you want, but people will be just equally disappointed by the toad's decision. Result? People will no longer care about politics, and they will leave it to the few to continue with their plundering of the nation's wealth. 

        
        So, being voters, let us be fully aware of what the pitfalls are when we vote for Independent candidates. We are splitting the votes, and this is a strategy of 'divide and rule' that has been BN's most powerful tool. Period. 

Read this:

• What are the trends that I see in today's politics? (come-to-senses.blogspot.com)
• Who should be Prime Minister? (come-to-senses.blogspot.com)