Malaysians Say The Darndest Things!

Barison Nasional Is A Dictatorship

November 28, 2007

Am I over-exaggerating?

Imagine if you are a person who truly feels that politics is a way that you can contribute to society and make our country a better place.
You sincerely think joining the Barison Nasional will give you the best chance to contribute to society (I am sure there are still people out there who aren’t just in BN for self-gain). BN has the resources, the opposition doesn’t. It makes perfect sense!

But before you join any of the parties in BN, ask yourself if you want to join a party led by a dictatorship? Many citizens already feel that the arrogant BN leadership does whatever they please as long as they continue to stay in power, without regards to the country’s future.
As a politician in the BN, you need to realize early on that you cannot go against BN’s wishes or you will be punished. That means that you are subject to the whims of the party leadership, and you are no more useful than a puppet, since you cannot speak your mind. Some people use the word running-dog. I prefer to use the word “oppressed”.

The past few years, disciplinary action has been taken or criticism levelled against the following BN politicians:
Shahrir Samad from UMNO for supporting an opposition motion.
S. Sothinathan from MIC for criticizing the government for de-recognizing the Crimea State Medical University degree.

Who’s probably next?
MIC’s K. Devamany for saying that the government has not done enough for Indians in this country, judging on the number of people that gathered at the HINDRAF rally.

From TheStar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and deputy chief whip Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said MIC parliamentarian K. Devamany should not be let off the hook even if the Indian community regarded him as a hero.

“Should we let Robin Hood off the hook just because he is a hero? He robbed the rich and gave to the poor but he was still breaking the law,” he said at Parliament lobby yesterday.

“Should we encourage people to be popular among the community by breaking ranks? Or should we consider the welfare of the whole BN?”

Nazri, who is in charge of parliamentary affairs, maintained that Devamany had “broken ranks” when he disputed the MIC’s stand with regard to Sunday’s Hindraf demonstration. He said Devamany also broke ranks when he said the Government failed to address the issues of the Indian community.

He reiterated his stand that if Devamany had disputed his own party, he should resign from the MIC.

Nazri said Devamany would have to explain his remarks to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is the Barisan chief whip, tomorrow.

“In my opinion, there has been a breaking in ranks,” Nazri said, adding that if Devamany wanted to be a “fighter” then he should not put his party in a difficult position.

Nazri said the demonstration on Sunday would not change the Government’s perception towards the Indian community in general.

He said the Government believed that the other one million Indians in the country who did not participate in the rally were fully behind the Government.

“Some 20,000 penyangak (crooks) who participated in the rally will not alter our viewpoint of the entire community,” he said.

Meanwhile, International Movement for a Just World president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said it was not right to put a racial slant to a gathering. Dr Chandra said that while he respected a person’s right to gather, he did not agree with the racial stance taken and the violence that reportedly occurred.

You can also read Malaysiakini’s article for Samy Vellu’s statement.

What did Devamany say exactly? Watch the Youtube video here.
What was Devamany’s ‘fault’ in Parliament? Only that he spoke what he felt, and challenged the government to answer his questions.

K Devamany - A man of principles?

So what is a politician to do when faced with such pressure to toe the party line, when in his eyes, he knows that the government has really failed the Indians?
If I were K. Devamany, to show that you meant what you said in Parliament, I urge you to give a press conference to reiterate your stand. Then if they take disciplinary action against you, just quit.
Show that you’ve got principles, because if you keep quiet and take the punishment, you will be deemed as a coward and not a ‘Robin Hood’ in the eyes of Malaysians. And most certainly, don’t expect anyone to trust you anymore, because you already flip-flopped on this issue from the al-Jazeera interview to the Parliament. The people cannot trust a person who flip-flops on an issue too often.

In the blogosphere:
(desiderata-ylchong) - MIC man souped, its Prez soaped…

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