Season of Change

On 10th May 2018, a historical moment in Malaysian history was created. Pakatan Harapan, the opposition coalition, won the 14th General Elections.
Like many others, I did not expect the victory so soon. I expected a large number of seats would go to PH but not enough to garner a majority to take over the government. I chide myself for having so little faith in the truth prevailing, our prayers answered and evil defeated. With obvious gerrymandering, like the redelineation exercise, scheduling of GE14 on a Wednesday, sudden changes and one-sided enforcement of campaigning rules, covert removal of PH's flags, last minute concert with lucky draw prizes 5km away from the last campaigning speech by Tun M in Langkawi and delays and suspicious incidents in vote counting, I didn't think that the Rakyat's support for PH could prevail.

But we did it! A lesson to all, not to underestimate the power of social media and Whatsapp where all these hanky panky deeds spread like wildfire and convert the undecided voters to PH supporters. For me, I had decided who I would vote for many years back. This time around, I'd told myself that if BN won again, the 1MDB saga would never see daylight, and I would seriously consider finding a job outside Malaysia. It had come to a point where the incredulous things I read on Sarawak Report just frustrated me so much that I felt the tax that I pay (little as it may be) wasn't worth entrusting to a government who allowed tax payers money to be siphoned out and spent on outrageous parties and shopping sprees. It was just so sickening. And the funny thing is, when I talked to various people about this, I got so emotional but many just brushed it off as corruption is a normal thing in Malaysia. We had become desensitized to blatant crimes, that the culprits were becoming bolder and bolder in their kleptocracy pursuits. So bizarre that you'd thought it was all a movie, but the ending never came.

I know I may be putting too high a hope on PH to be different, but my rationale is better we give someone else a chance to prove themselves rather than to choose the known evil. At the rate we were plummeting in the eyes of the world, I think the risk we are taking commensurates. I just didn't realise that the larger group of Malaysians aside from the urbanites, felt the same need to change. So it really was a surprise to me! But it shows that PH had been doing their groundwork in spreading awareness.

There are some whom I have tried to convince that every vote counts. But their responses are always along the lines that their vote would make no difference and all parties are the same. If you do not do your little part in trying to make a change, you have forfeited your right to choose your government and thus, you should not complain about the country and all its misgivings. There is no guarantee that the opposition would prove to be the best government but there is always a chance that they may be what Malaysia needs and if they aren't, the resounding voice of the Rakyat will send a clear and succinct message to the ruling government of the day to buck up and perform.

Today I can safely say that Malaysia has hope. And this year will be a year of Change.