LIKE any other young voter, I’ve always dreamed of having my own house, filled with the laughter of my children.
And when the time comes for me to close my eyes forever, I hope to do it with a smile. But not before having my last nasi lemak, hopefully.
What I want to see in this country now is hope, benevolence and security, instead of character assassinations and political dramas every single day.
Ask anyone, and they will say “it is tiring” while rolling their eyes, and probably wishing they will not have to endure another tirade on “kleptocracy”.
Here in this blessed country, the opposition is claiming that Malaysia is a “failed state”.
Maybe I’m too young to understand everything, but I get to have three meals (sometimes more) a day and a comfortable place to sleep.
I don’t make much compared to my lawyer and engineer friends, but I do have a car and manage to set aside some savings.
I do understand some of the issues raised by the opposition. I am feeling the market-place pinch too.
For example, I have yet to be financially stable to buy my own house, and I’m already 29.
Then again, except in the curious case of PKR’s Datuk Adam Rosly, I have rarely heard stories of how anyone under the age of 30 gets to enjoy all the luxuries life has to offer.
My parents did not get everything they desired in life until in their late 40s. By that time, they already had six children to feed, and we were doing absolutely fine — I could still show off some of my new toys and video games to friends in school.
My parents were okay back then, and we are doing fine today just like many other families. So, I don’t really see how Malaysia is a failed country.
But for the sake of argument, let us discuss what the opposition is telling us.
They say our government is “corrupt” and so are all the top officials.
They say people are “getting poorer” and “suffering” in this country.
They say they want “justice”.
They say they want former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be freed from prison.
If all government officials are corrupt, the opposition needs to substantiate that claim.
Provide crisp and clear evidence, as what is being done by Barisan Nasional strategic communications director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan against the numerous claims made by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Honestly, many of us are getting worn out from hearing complaints and baseless accusations, instead of proof and solutions to any problem at hand.
On the sweeping allegations that the people are “suffering” every single day, come on.
Of course, there are still those who are categorised under B40, but that does not mean these people should only be used as a political subject.
If you really care about those who are suffering, then help them. Do not, ever, use them merely as a tool to score cheap political points.
Some opposition leaders say the government must do everything for us.
I thought we were already provided with much; we get to live in a peaceful country, and have the right to build our reputation and amass wealth.
But what do we have to do, to make whatever the facilities accorded to us, work? Not sure? Do you know that we can always use our head and limbs?
All this talk about the government not giving a hoot about the people, is simply out of whack. Criticisms should be constructive, instead of being hopelessly inane.
The opposition has even provided us with a sideshow.
A friend had jokingly said recently that maybe, I should vote in the election based on the prettiest logo.
Then, a few days ago, I saw a joke — the Pakatan Harapan’s logo designs.
There was one with a “thumbs up” sign the branding of a certain groundnut snack packaging, and something else that looked like someone just plastered the word “Harapan” below five vertically tilted lines... or “sun rays”?
The opposition’s supposedly minimalist design seems, at casual glance, to be at the low-end of creativity.
I am not sure what DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and gang are trying to symbolise with such logos.
The opposition often says it wants “justice”. But what does it mean by that? Many opposition leaders come across as arrogant and some others have difficulty in being polite.
And yet they want to talk about justice?
With all the mess and sham within the opposition pact, do its leaders even measure up as a viable alternative to BN?
Remember Mario Puzo’s Don Michael Corleone in the movie Godfather? He has this line when confronting his in-law Carlo Rizzi: “Only don’t tell me you’re innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry.”
The writer is an NST journalist