We are now entering upon a new year; a year in which we hope will be the beginning of a new Malaysia, free of abuse of power, corruption, poverty and gross inequality of income between a few very rich individuals and the rest of the population. This change must come in 2013! Having put off the general election for as long as they can, the Barisan Nasional (BN) is bound by law to face voters in 2013. After half a century of injustice and oppression, we have a real opportunity to save the nation.
The BN has stunted the potential and growth of this nation. What we have achieved has been despite the BN, and not because of them. The ordinary people of this country have been forced to fight for their fair share of the economic cake against greedy and unscrupulous BN-supported cronies, friends and relatives. The wealth of the nation has been bled out by the corrupt BN establishment; over the past decade over RM 1 trillion has been siphoned out of the country according to GFI. The real figure could be much higher. Ethnic tensions are regularly stoked up by the BN in their last-ditch attempt to cling to power by fear-mongering. Extreme racist fringe groups such as Perkasa are given encouragement and support by the BN; former PM Dr Mahathir is a patron of Perkasa. Umno owned media such as Utusan Malaysia and TV3 spew racial and religious hate news with impunity. The laws are abused and fundamental freedoms curtailed; and meanwhile fake reforms are introduced to give a false impression of liberalization to a nation hungering for civil and political freedom. Scandals involving top BN politicians or their cronies are hushed up with the help of institutions such as the attorney-general's office, police and MACC which are illegally controlled by the BN. This country of 29 million people has been hijacked by Umno/BN and a small greedy and unscrupulous coterie surrounding them.
It is certain that the BN political coalition cannot reform itself; and it must not be allowed to take this country down with it. It must be decisively defeated in the 13th GE by the joint effort of the citizens of this great country. We must bring forth a new economic and social conception and framework for this country; where wealth and opportunity is fairly distributed, where wages are high and the price of goods and housing are reasonable, and where poverty and injustice are eliminated. Crucially, economic and legislative reforms must be instituted to protect the poorest and most vulnerable Malaysians; no Malaysian must be left behind. Oppressive laws must be repealed, the press must be freed and all fundamental freedoms respected and guaranteed. This is an essential and achievable vision for Malaysia in 2013. This is the very minimum that every Malaysian is entitled to, and which has been denied us under 55 years of BN rule.
N SURENDRAN
VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN
31 DECEMBER 2012
The BN has stunted the potential and growth of this nation. What we have achieved has been despite the BN, and not because of them. The ordinary people of this country have been forced to fight for their fair share of the economic cake against greedy and unscrupulous BN-supported cronies, friends and relatives. The wealth of the nation has been bled out by the corrupt BN establishment; over the past decade over RM 1 trillion has been siphoned out of the country according to GFI. The real figure could be much higher. Ethnic tensions are regularly stoked up by the BN in their last-ditch attempt to cling to power by fear-mongering. Extreme racist fringe groups such as Perkasa are given encouragement and support by the BN; former PM Dr Mahathir is a patron of Perkasa. Umno owned media such as Utusan Malaysia and TV3 spew racial and religious hate news with impunity. The laws are abused and fundamental freedoms curtailed; and meanwhile fake reforms are introduced to give a false impression of liberalization to a nation hungering for civil and political freedom. Scandals involving top BN politicians or their cronies are hushed up with the help of institutions such as the attorney-general's office, police and MACC which are illegally controlled by the BN. This country of 29 million people has been hijacked by Umno/BN and a small greedy and unscrupulous coterie surrounding them.
It is certain that the BN political coalition cannot reform itself; and it must not be allowed to take this country down with it. It must be decisively defeated in the 13th GE by the joint effort of the citizens of this great country. We must bring forth a new economic and social conception and framework for this country; where wealth and opportunity is fairly distributed, where wages are high and the price of goods and housing are reasonable, and where poverty and injustice are eliminated. Crucially, economic and legislative reforms must be instituted to protect the poorest and most vulnerable Malaysians; no Malaysian must be left behind. Oppressive laws must be repealed, the press must be freed and all fundamental freedoms respected and guaranteed. This is an essential and achievable vision for Malaysia in 2013. This is the very minimum that every Malaysian is entitled to, and which has been denied us under 55 years of BN rule.
N SURENDRAN
VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN
31 DECEMBER 2012
