Poli - Tics

Poli in Latin means many and Tics means little blood sucking insects. What I am trying to say is, politics in Malaysia today is infested with many blood sucking insects called politicians.
Many politicians today are ignorant of what politics is all about. They join political parties for the sake of personal publicity and for economic opportunities. Politics need sacrificing Politicians must learn to forego their own vested interests and instead work for the good of the country to restore the confidence of the people. Malaysia needs mature politicians to tackle the challenging economic and environmental problems confronting the world today.
Politicians should set an example. Let me quote some Chinese proverbs. “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” The current political climate is merely throwing fish to the people so that these greedy politicians can stay in power rather than teaching the people to fish so that they can enjoy their own catches.
Another two Chinese proverbs go like this, “Outside noisy, inside empty” and “To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish” This is exactly what many of our elected representatives are doing today. The immaturity of the voters is to be blamed for electing these politicians into power. Some politicians disappear after winning and some even jump parties to quench their thirst for wealth. Matured politicians and civil-minded voters are crucial in changing, developing and improving the political landscape. If voters don’t vote the right candidates then our country will become a dance stage where we will be forced to rock forward and backward without any sense of direction.
Today we are in a drastically different time. We have to discard our old beliefs and not cling to old teachings. We have to learn, change and evolve. The blaming of each political party in politics appears to be getting worse and worse. These drowning politicians will even clutch at a straw to keep them breathing. We need development, we need peace and we need to improve our lives. If we dance to the tune of these empty vessels then we will definitely make our lives miserable. Politicians should stop harping on sensitive issues which touch on religion and race. They should perform for what the people have elected them for rather than barking at issues which don’t benefit the people at all. A barking dog seldom bites.
We should have a government which performs and brings development. We should not blindly oppose a good government for the sake of opposing. In every vibrant democratic society, there exists the need to debate policies in Parliament before their implementation. But every proposed policy should not be opposed if these policies are beneficial to the people and country. Without a visible opposition presence in parliament to inquire and invigilate the government, there is little opportunity for checks and balances when it comes to political accountability. So opposition parties should play a positive role. This is only possible if we have good politicians on both sides. Arrogance, vulgar words, hatred, selfishness and pointing fingers must not be on the agenda of a good politician. Remember the people voted for you in trust. To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.

School Holidays

School holidays are meant to give students a break from the hectic school schedule, to give them time to enjoy the time together with family members, to bind the bond of love and to come back fresh to acquire knowledge. What is happening to the education system in Malaysia is questionable. Many schools are having extra classes practically every day during the holidays, the classes started as early as Saturday without even a break for a day. If these schools insist on having extra classes then it is better for the education minister to scrap off the school holidays. The classes are merely an eye wash rather than helping the weak students to better themselves. At times only the above average students are selected to attend these classes. The present school system is depriving the students the best time of their lives-childhood. It increases the stress and emotional problems among the students. Stress in school is not a new phenomenon, but a story repeated time and again. What action has been taken to reduce stress among the three crucial players in school: students, teachers and parents? I hope the education ministry will take steps to make sure the holidays are worthwhile to the students to take a short rest and at the same time give an opportunity for the parents to spend time together with their children. This will help to foster closer relationship among the family members.