After a quick trip to Singapore over the weekend for a forum on Burma, Yours Truly is now in Bali to attend the 116th International Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting.
If you think that’s fun, think again – I’ve been down with a nasty bug for the past two days. But what really cheered me up was an email from a reader and I’ll share it with you.
Dear Teresa,
I watched the Sunday’s “talking issue” on Sunday and I would like to congratulate you on your relevant arguments and calm dispositions, despite the MCA YB’s rather rude and inconsiderate counter-argument.
Many a time he appeared trying to interrupt your speech and to your credit, you remained firm and did not do something similiar. He did so because I feel argument wise, he had no chance. Even the third speaker concured with most of your points and the fact that the station did not allow callers to phone in this time, it was just so that the MCA YB had more than enough indefensibles on his plate.
He said,”don’t make an excuse for your failure.” Not a victor with grace.
I think the Ijok people are typically simplistic and opportunistic. Uninterested in the bigger picture and focused on longkang in front of them. Perhaps they are shrewd in the sense that 1 more seat now won’t make a big chance *(status quo to BN and not DAP losing 1 seat) so they wanted to take the development money now and put a different vote next time?
To me, all development funds and government servants’ remuneration comes from taxpayers hence voters. On a daily basis, we get short changed and only when a MP needs to be re-elected then we get our money back. We tax payers are in a way blackmailed, despite what the MCA YB said about the projects were already approved and just being announced during the campaigning. Technically that amounts to enticement or verbal coercion.
It is also a pity that most Malaysians never lived in Singapore/Hong Kong/Australia/UK; countries where govrenment officials are accountable, by and large. Only them we realise that government servant owe us a living and not the other way round.
It is the businessmen and white and blue collar workers that attract foreign investment, earn foreign exchange, financing trade and taking risks only for the government service to take a slice via tax laws who then sit back in comfortable air con rooms and then decide what to do with the money they did not really break sweat to earn.
The only solution is for local elections to be held for municipals and the MPs can focus issues that concern us as a country ann as an international community.
I am in an internet cafe now and looking at the youths around me screamming and cheering over some idiotic PC games, Malaysia may have a declining future……
Thank you for all your hard work, please remain healthy and strong and I will always be behind you and DAP. A bit of encourage for you and perhaps some donations to your service centre. Sorry, what’s the maybank account number again?
Regards
Lee Wee Tak
Through pure coincidence, I saw the same programme after my dad asked me to assist him in translating most of the dialogues…
As much as I think such a dialogue for the public is good, there seem no direct impact or conclusiveness that the debate would bring any change in reality..
Somewhile ago, I had the opportunity to witness a similar debate between Chua Jui Meng and Khairy on the debate of NEP and 30% quota, the way Datuk Chua debated did seem he has the guts of Opposition on touching this sensitive issue, however sadly the current MCA doesn’t seem to have either the guts or maybe vision to challenge these controversial topics.
Hopefully the swing in votes from the Chinese in Ijok will send a obvious message to MCA and the PM on something that they already knew deep down.
About performance on ‘live’ TV chat shows, your party’s MPs have shown maturity.
Recently both Chong Eng & Po Kuan were good in their performance on TV2.