Democracy is a game

Two opposition leaders, four lawyers and several others are now in police custody for participating or organizing or attending illegal gatherings in the previous weeks in Malaysia. The days to come will probably see more arrest as the government begins to gain back its confidence and recoup the losses of shameful public display of dissent.

The non-interference policy of the Asean states play well to the needs of the government of today. After all, nipping trouble at the bud had always been the cardinal rule of control and power. Didn't your parents do the same to you when they caught you with your first 'Benson' box. Or your teacher gave you a mouthful for failing to hand-in your assignment. Aren't all the anti-something campaign meant to avoid future problems and malady. So the government being the legal representative of the people has every right to ridicule, humiliate and abuse citizens who they deem as troublemakers on behalf of the rest of the citizens.

The instrument of control is of course the domestic peace-keepers, the police. If not for the police how can law and order be kept? But frankly, I pity the police - maybe not the top guns who have comfort chairs just as their political masters do - but the 'ordinary' policeman whose only guilt was that he thought he was serving the nation and keeping everyone safe. What can that little private, or corporal or even sergeant do but to follow orders? They are doomed actually - damned if they do, damned if they don't! So the next time the police comes round your neighbourhood, ask them - how do you do it? It must be hard having to shut your mind and conscience from judging what is right and wrong. Sometimes they even have to put religious beliefs aside so that they can carry out an order.

So just as the ordinary public are afraid of losing their daily income, the policemen too are just as scared. Here's where democracy comes in. The public are enticed to participate in what is called an election process. This voters turn-out will be used to endorse the results of the election. Under great scrutiny, the opposition are let to flourish albeit in handicapped circumstances. This will prove how liberal and free the country is in giving opportunity (no one said equal opportunity) for anyone to oppose the government. Then there is freedom albeit only in some quarters and for some groups, there is freedom in the country. The only thing that's not freely allowed is the unbridled yearning to change the government.

Just as Henry Ford offered his customers - "You can have any color as long as its black!" - democracy in Malaysia as its stands is simple - you can have any government as long as its THEM! And so, the game begins - how to be part of THEM. The truth is there are no discrimination of race in Malaysia - you can be a Malay or a Chinese or an Indian or a Dayak or Kadazan, but if you're not one of THEM - you not in, mate.Period!

Apparently, a portion of the population, less than 5% perhaps are the fortunate THEM. So in a total population of 25 million, 5% is quite a lot of people - some 1.25 million to be precise. So, if we counted all the big shots we know from whatever race does the total come to 1.25 million do you think?

Nah, I think not! Probably, a figure like 125 thousand would be more realistic. This is the number of people who can consider themselves as part of THEM - those people in power. So that's means only 0.5% of the population are THEM! And they play us off against one another under various headings such as race, religion, culture, poverty, business, industry, education etc etc. When all the while it is just a game to them - something they take out for display every 4 to 5 years -DEMOCRACY!

Dato' Nazri would then say - you're saying that the Malaysian public are stupid because they elected a 'bad' government! Well, I think the better word is 'afraid' rather than stupid. The Malaysian public is genuinely afraid that the prevailing government will harm them (the public) in one way or another if the public were to cast an opposing vote. The art of the game is to get enough people afraid to make that change. Just as criminals take hostages, governments take prisoners! Family and friends will cringe at the prospect of losing their freedom and so the government wins!

The world is a stage and we are the actors. In this country called Malaysia, the people are the extras, while the scripts are with THEM - the play is called DEMOCRACY and its only a game!