If I had it my way

If I had it my way, politicians should only be politicians for the people. Just like doctors who should be in medicine because they want to save lives and lawyers are who they are because they want to fight for justice. And people who are in the police force should be there because they want to fight crime, and not just to drink in the power you hold wearing that uniform and badge or indulge in the vast opportunities to receive “tea money”. If the motivation is earning money or desire for power then they should not be in the field, and they would be doing us all a favour by staying out.

Politicians make and argue policies for the people and the country. Their main intention should be about the welfare of the people. Being in politics, knowing objectively that the other candidate would be a better person to hold that position so as to serve the people, you should give way for the better man. You should not expect favours and use your “loyalty” to emotionally threaten for a position. The fact that you have stuck around for 10 or more years, should not be the main criteria of you getting the job. You get the job if you deserve it, by merits!

If we are truly indeed advocating for a merit-based system, then the mindset that because you have been loyal and that you deserve a position should change! It may be easier said than done, wallowing in the fact that you have given up so much in the fight and yet, because you do not get a position, you obviously feel unappreciated. Then again, you should put the people first! It is not about you or your self-esteem, it is about the people! So what if you have been fellow comrades? You fought because you believe in the cause, the cause to bring about a better Malaysia!

And really, I am not just talking about the leaders here. The grassroots too should not be spared! Why do you volunteer to hang flags? Why do you join in the riots? Why would you travel to Hulu Selangor everyday during the week of the campaign? Why would you sacrifice your sleep and suffer a whole day at work the next? Why would you run errands on your own expense for the party? Do you expect to be awarded contracts in the future? Do you expect a position in future? If I had it my way, these people should do us all a favour and get out of politics. The detriment would be more painful than the benefit you bring! And if someone who enters the party rises faster than you do, slap yourself back and be happy because that person may well be a better person to do the job than you are!

Similarly, if the ruling coalition passes a policy that is wise and good for the people, as opposition party, they should not object or go against it for the sake of going against everything the ruling coalition does. It is okay if the opposition stays the opposition, as long as they manage to deny 2/3 majority from the ruling coalition. Absolute power is still never good for anyone, no matter how credible or reliable you are. A politician must always keep in mind that you are there for the people.

So, if I had it my way, a politician should only be in politics because they sincerely want to serve the people. Then again, if I had it my way, we would all benefit from world peace as advocated by countless miss universes throughout the decades and midvalley would be void of shoppers on weekends so I don’t have to fight with the neighbourhood aunty for parking.

Until then, I guess I will continue to daydream and hope that idealism like mine will be contagious.

Reflection – Triggered by HS!

I am sure those who want an update of the upcoming by-elections would be able to obtain them from the other web-portals. Again, I skipped making a trip down to our favourite town of the week. The thought of 4 hours of sleep again would probably be the largest part for my decision.

The media at the moment is filled with trashy news like Zaid Ibrahim’s drinking and gambling habit and with P Kamalanathan’s hand kissing stunt and more.

The fight for a change sounds all inspiring and noble. The struggle Mahatma Gandhi had to undergo are now only described by words and assisted by individual imaginations. Aung San Suu Kyi’s restricted freedom is channelled by the media, but can only be seen in our limited minds. Datin Seri Wan Azizah’s struggle for her husband is a never-ending fight for her. I cannot even imagine what she had to go through, under the scrutiny by her party and the country. She was forced into politics when she had only wanted to be a good mother and wife. Ah well, they’re just words to you, actually experiencing it is an entire ball game altogether.

 Therefore, it is not surprising at all that P Kamalanathan had lost his cool when probed continuously of his hand kissing stunt. I don’t blame him. Someone like him who has the prime minister supporting his campaign can lose his cool, what more someone from the opposition party or an independent? Even Khairy lost his and he is not even in the race!

Zaid had only calmly admitted or denied claims against him, which can only be seen as transparently sincere. Whatever doubts I had of his attributes when he joined PKR at first are slowly fading. There is nothing but respect to have for him, when he admits his “mistakes” and is not defensive of the criticisms that have been thrown at him from all angles. The point he is trying to get across is a simple basic point, that despite his personal ways, he is more than capable to bring about change for Hulu Selangorians. The mandate obviously lies with the voters and he has to show them how sincere he is. Whether he drank before or gambled before has absolutely no bearing on whether he is able to highlight that the Tamil school needs electricity!!

People have told me that I am easily swayed. I had only sung praises of Tok Guru Nik Aziz when he gave RM 100 from his pocket to the metro tabernacle church after it was flamed. However, there is really no point living life with scepticism and negativity.

Even if we win this by-election, the fight for change never ends. What is worth the fight is that the knowledge that when you reached your goal, you know you have made a difference.

Day 2 – HS Adventure

I intended to catch at least 3 hours of sleep before leaving to Hulu Selangor (HS). My Ketua AMK was to pick me from my home at 2.30 am. But I woke up late and we left at 3.30am. My bad, totally.

It is a big day. We headed down to Batang Kali, where our station is. The other members were already there. We reached at nearly 5 am. It is apparent that the Barisan flags definitely outnumber our flags.

My grogginess was replaced quickly with enthusiasm when we were approaching our station. I could see our flags from each corner of my eyes. There is a tent/marquee at the petrol station nearby, which was covered with the Keadilan flags. I could see feet from the little view I had from the car. My ketua told me that the some of the members were spending the night there. In the open!

As the rays of dawn sneaked out, everywhere I looked there was someone in either a keadilan uniform, a “selamatkan Malaysia” t-shirt or some shirt that indicates the person is at least

Jafrien Mohamed and I

supporting keadilan/Pakatan Rakyat. We were ready to leave.

We convoyed with two cars to Taman Gamelon, where another one of our stations was. We walked about 2 kilometres to the marching point. The traffic started to build up then. And since, it is my first time being part of a by-election campaign. I thought this was quite a sight. The cars were at a standstill, there were people walking and they were all my friends! I may not know them personally, but we have the same objective and the same hope at this point of time. And amongst the many times that I felt like I belong, this was definitely one of them. I could almost literally feel the “semangat perjuangan” that they all talk about. Those two Malay words have been so overused that people do not absorb the meaning of it anymore.

It’s a hot day. My uniform was not exactly conducive for hot and humid weather.

The crowd increased by the minute. The AMK was given the task to lead the march towards the nomination centre. The leaders came one by one. YB Azmin Ali, YB Salehuddin Ayub, YB Hassan Ali, YB William Leong, YB Teng Chang Khim, YB Elizabeth Wong, YB Dr Xavier Jayakumar, our Chief Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and last but definitely not least, Dato’ Zaid Ibrahim. There were rounds applause and cheers as each one of them turned up. There were repeated chants of “Reformasi”. The mood was overflowing with the fighting spirit.

The helicopters were flying about, I heard one of the supporters exclaimed:” Malaysia boleh, takde engin pun boleh terbang”.

We marched, we chanted repeatedly “Reformasi” and “Hidup Rakyat”. We did not have much space, we had marched on a path of about 100 metres wide in diameter with stalls at the side. And if you have seen me, I’m not exactly known for my height so I could only see heads and the tip of flag poles they were holding.

After marching for 10 minutes, we had to stop because the policemen formed a human barricade to stop us and also a barb-wired fence. The leaders had gone in, the election commission had only allowed for 200 people in total to enter the centre.

As leaders were doing their thing, registering with the election commission, there were ceramahs going on. I saw YB Tian Chua speaking through loud speaker, one dude probably from PAS was talking on what looked like truck and there was one who spoke at a tent/marquee with chairs around. The people were fully-spirited, despite the sweat and heat. We had waited for more than an hour and yet, the supporters shouted randomly “Reformasi”, “Hidup Rakyat” or “Takbir, Allahuakbar”. I definitely could not have caught up with them.

When the time came for the announcement of candidates, the crowd booed to all the names except for Dato’ Zaid Ibrahim, naturally.

By this time, I am tired, sleepy, hot and hungry. Small price to pay for the experience of “Semangat perjuangan”.

Embarking…

I have only recently found the path through which to reach my goal. This led to my involvement in AMK (Angkatan Muda KeADILan). I had joined AMK in August 2009 and this will be my first time participating in an election campaign. Despite being comparatively new in the party, unfamiliar with the procedures and style of how the old-timers work and also always the odd one out, I feel exactly how a five year old girl feels when she looks forward to her birthday party.

The nomination day is a day away, and I have been to Hulu Selangor (HS) for about four times now. With travelling, I usually just get about 5 hours of sleep and get on with my day job – lawyering.

The pressure is mounting as tasks are delegated. Each division is given an area to prepare the election machinery. Organising ceramahs, distributing leaflets, setting up the machinery rooms, putting up flags and posters, the mood has definitely set in. Imagine getting ready for Chinese new year, Christmas or Eid, you’d get the picture. The momentum increases as candidates for Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional are named. Also not forgetting the two independent candidates, Jonah Mohd Dinah and former HS MIC division deputy head, VS Chandran who have decided to contest in this coming by-election. I checked my phone every two minutes hoping for an update from malaysiakini text message.

Nonetheless, we all know that the fight is really between the two major parties.

Leaders from Barison Nasional and also from Pakatan Rakyat will always say the same thing, that they are confident in winning any by-election. Their statements will be all over the media, whether mainstream or non-mainstream. Sometimes, I wished politicians would be sincere and truthful. Seriously, you cannot expect to win all the time. Credibility does not seem to be existent in politics, something which if I had my way would be different. Maybe it’s my naivety speaking.

Looking at how the last general election, the people of HS had decided (not too firmly) to give Dr Zainal Abidin a chance to represent them for the Parliamentary Seat. And gave the respective state seats of Hulu Bernam, Kuala Kubu Bahru and Batang Kali to Dato’ Hj Mohd Idris b Hj Abu Bakar (UMNO), Wong Koon Mun (MCA) and Mohd Isa b Abu Kasim (UMNO).

This means that Dato’ Zaid Ibrahim not only has to win the hearts of the 198 people (majority win of the parliament seat from last election), but also convince more than the 6000 people from the majority the state seats that he will be able to strive and make a change. Have Pakatan Rakyat been steadfast enough to have shown their sincerity to make a change?

I will not argue blindly, and as much I’d like to bitch about the ruling party, I believe that they more than 50% chance of winning the by-election.

But then again, you may have the strongest of cases in court but lose. And on the other hand, you may have the weakest of cases and yet win. I am sure many of you advocates out there can agree to an extent my statement. That’s what a fight is all about, isn’t it? You fight against the odds. Only that way, the win becomes priceless.

In any event, many people fail to see this; the goal should never be forgotten or cluttered with the short term goals. Malaysia has a long way to go, and one by-election, whether we win or lose, should not be a reason to give up or be lazily contented. I have faith that Malaysia will be exactly like the naïve idealistic picture that I have photographed in my head.

I call them my battle gear which I am equipped with, my AMK uniform, “Selamatkan Malaysia” t-shirt and a “P094” t-shirt.

I shall let you in on my adventure of campaigning. But as of now, I am putting on my armour, shield and sword, not lose hope, and fight on.

Dear Change

I want you to know that my happiness is not important. Neither is my wealth or health. What matters most is that you are implanted into the minds of the people of my land. I was brought here for one sole purpose and I intend to carry it through. I will give it all to you, my heart and soul.

You should make my country a better place. Please let me not walk into the streets and witness suffering and hardship. Please improve the lives of the people below poverty line. Please let the only persons who judge be the ones whom we bow to on the bench. Please let the people be colour blind. Please strip away injustice, corruption and unfair advantage. Please let not money be the sole motivating factor.

I plea that if I lose my way, you bring me back again, that I will not lie on my dying bed one day regretting that I wasted space on this earth.

Regards,

EO

Blissfully you

You snort with disbelief when idealism sneaks in conversations. You proudly claim Malaysia to be the best place to live in because of how easy it is to bribe traffic police. You refuse to be a registered voter, for a non-existent reason. You complain of the loss of businesses and monies, and also for the inconvenience as a result of a march to abolish the Internal Security Act. You do not give even a hint of a damn, that the people have lost their homes. You do not give a damn that the judiciary is slowly rotting. You hysterically protest when your children have friends of a different race. You refuse to be a Maxis customer because the owner is not of your own race. You take a bribe, leaving no shadow of remorse.

 

Yet…

 

You complain of potholes on our roads. You abhor the new economic policy. You accuse him to be racist for calling you a migrant. You drown yourself with self-pity when you do not get a discount for buying a semi-detached house, worth $2 million. You will blame the leaders when your loved ones have been wronged, or you have been wronged. You live with bitterness when you are not admitted to a local university.

Where I belong

I had visited Britain for a few days. The moment I reached Bournemouth, with just jeans, small T and a miserable sweater, it was freezing. I quickly went into my hotel room, which was small and tight. The doors were heavy. I unpacked and got ready to go out for dinner.

The city was dead. 8pm and still bright. Decided on a restaurant/pub called hot rocks. Half a pint of Fosters was good, but the Thai Green curry with rice was horrendous. The rice were hard and cold, and the curry was dull and not curry-like at all.

The walk back to the hotel, was painful. I was shivering so hard, I thought I was having fits. The time difference was making me feel dizzy too.

People you meet from the hotel exchanged pleasantries. Vehicles will stop for pedestriens. I had walked everywhere I went. English breakfast was simple. I can hardly understand their accent. No one knows me and I, them.

The English are definitely miles ahead of us. Their analyses of a subject. Their maturity. Their intolerance for corruption. They had made a big deal of the recent MPs claiming for extra allowances. It was all over the papers. The people in the pub are all talking about it. One man asked me how I am going to change Britain. (I think he is suffering from dementia)

When I return, I switched on my phone the minute the plane landed. Several text messages just came in at the same time. As I walked out the plane and wanted to browse through the shops in the airport. I walked in MNG and they had spoken Bahasa to me. I walked, knowing my way around. The humid weather greeting me with open arms. The KLIA express workers were helping me with my overweight bag and directing me to the KLIA Express train.

The next morning as I drove to work, and I realised how much I missed driving. The traffic too, was heavy. I’m familiar with the small lanes and highways. I had indo-mee, with fried egg and sausages for breakfast. With iced nescafe.

The staff from the office was smiling excitedly when they saw me. I saw friends at court.

In many ways, Malaysia is not a heaven to live in.

Nonetheless, I just need one reason to stay here. This is where I grew up, this is where I belong and this is where I am needed. You will definitely be more of a second class citizen in other countries than here.

Time Limits for cases?

His Honourable Mr Justice Dato’ Gopal Sri Ram proposed at an industrial relations convention that “a timetable be set to expedite unfair dismissal cases”. (published at page 22, nation’s section of the new straits times, 11 June 2009)

His lordship prescribed a three month time period for the Industrial Relations Department to conclude its conciliation process and another three months for the Human Resources Minister to make his reference to the Industrial Court. His lordship had proposed that if these time limits are not adhered to, the court shall be deprived of jurisdiction to hear the complaint.

Putting such pressure on judges, will inevitably inject anxiety on judges to complete their cases. Such anxiety will perhaps affect their judgment and their objective would be to complete the case and not to decide justly. Statistics, statistics and statistics.

This is the problem that we see in our courts.

A friend told me, that as a magistrate, she is not allowed to grant more than eight postponements for a file.

Now, instead of being the beacon of justice, they are filled with anxiety to complete their cases. The same with an insurance agent worried about how many sales he is able to conclude for the month.

You may ask, why is it a problem if the judges want to dispose off their cases quick?

Example, Plaintiff’s lawyer comes to court, presents his or her witnesses, and manages to complete the evidence of the witnesses in two hours. The Plaintiff closes his/her case. The Defendant lawyer stands up, and says, my client is sick/overseas (or whatever valid reason) and seeks a postponement. The judge does not allow and orders the Defendant to close his/her case. The Defendant’s case is not presented properly. The judge decides based on Plaintiff’s case alone. Justice carried out?

There are many examples I can give.

Nonetheless, I do understand perfectly well, why these measures are proposed. The legal system (inclusive of lawyers and judges) is very inefficient. We wait for years and years. The lawyers and judges have to be blamed.

My question is:

When you walk into the courtroom, the police calls out, “Mahkamah bangun”, as you bow, the audience bows towards you and you take that seat, when people call you “My lord/lady” or “Yang arif”, you hold a superior duty to uphold justice. This includes, working up cases expediously, deciding properly by listening and absorbing every point of law. You are deciding for the interest of another human being, entirely unrelated to you. Why do you need rules and procedures to tell u, to dispose off cases speedily and justly, without fear or favour?

When you stand up, hear your speech being read out, you put on that robe and bib, and the judge looks at you and announces that you are a member of the bar. When you introduce your opponents, you call them my learned friend. When you have a professional duty to your clients and your profession and also to the name of justice, when do you need an anxious judge to bark at you to get your cases moving?

If it is not your calling, please do the world a favour. Don’t be here for the money.

Just Another File

As I was wheeled into the operation theatre on a rolley-bed, the nurses was talking loudly. One nurse read out my name, and were playing around with the bed. The bed knocked into the wall, and they laughed. I hear other nurses laughing about, talking abt the latest gossip at the hospital. I can hear them whispering amongst each other.

I was in the operation theatre. I see at the corner of my eye, two nurses, mouths covered, looking at their hands. The anaesthetist was just standing behind me, probably waiting to inject anaesthesia and leave. Some assistants were fiddling with the equipment. I was just another patient to them.

This was my first time undergoing an operation. I had sleepless nights. I thought I would end up dying. As I waited for them to get ready, I was shaky. I tapped my fingers furiously on the bed. My hands were cold. I had hoped he was there to hold my hand.

The doctor was late. They tell me, they will only inject anaesthesia when the doctor arrives. They had wrapped my arm with the pressure belt, clipped my left index finger with pulse rate machine. The pressure belt was pumping intermittantly. I tapped my left index finger furiously. I contemplated running out of the room. They injected a needle at the back of my palm. That was where the anaesthesia would go. I saw a large syringe, filled with milky white liquid.

I was just another patient to them.

At work. When I am swamped with work.  I get pressured with tomorrow’s mention or hearing. I stress up when an insistent opponent calls and asks if our clients will withdraw against theirs. I get annoyed when anxious clients call me, to ask the status of their case. “Why cant they just wait?” I thought with annoyance. I get very frustrated when they ask me again and again, how much our fees are. I tell them the same thing. Clients ask me their chances for winning. I pause to hide my annoyance, before answering.

My client is just another file.

I should change. Because I should not be just another patient, and my clients should not be just another file.

Lunch observations

A colleague had asked me to lunch, and I had declined rudely. My bad. But I had wanted to be alone. I headed towards O’ Briens cafe of the OCBC building. Usually, I’d read a book. This time I decided to let my sorrows sink in. So, I observed the people walking about outside Masjid Jamek LRT station.

Being  alone, I am doing nothing wrong. Section 141 of the Penal Code provides the following:-

An assembly of five or more persons is designated an “unlawful assembly”…

And it provides the circumstances when an assembly is unlawful. I shant bored you with it.

The first chapter of my criminal law, was that a crime is only committed when the intentions are accompanied by actions. If I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me, and I am so angry that I wanted to kill him. But I do not do it. I have not committed murder. Intentions alone do not constitute a crime.

There are exceptions, of course. Like attempted murder, attempted rape, etc.

However, there is no provision for an attempted illegal assembly.

So, as I was chowing down my wrappo, I hear a thumping sound. A man was using his fist to thump the wall. May it be seen as he intends to assault another person? I hear frustrated complains from the table next to mine, of a lady venting her frustration of her work. Arrest her for attempted murder? A man walking down the street with a disatisfied face, charge him for attempted unlawful assembly?

Sadly, two DAP members were arrested on the ground that they were going to take part in an illegal assembly.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/105168