General Elections 13 - UNDILAH!

One thing is for sure............there is so much more political awareness among rakyat Malaysia now.

The EC stated that up to 2.3 million new voters were registered as voters, making the GE13 a genuine battlefield with untested first-time voters, fierce cyber campaigning and instant sharing of thoughts as well as political antics available online 24 by 7.

And awareness that YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

The  political tsunami in Malaysian politics in 2008 shocked the ruling elite as well as highlighted to the rakyat that their voice can and will be heard if only they exercise their constitutional right to vote.

 In Perak, I believe its unique experience of the people voting in a new Perak state government in 2008, only to have representatives from the new state government leap-frogging over to BN (for personal gain) thereby handing the state back to BN was an eye opening and illuminating lesson for all.

But when I first came to Ipoh, I was rather shocked and taken aback by the fact that the new lady friends I made here have never registered to vote! In their entire lives, they have never voted. In casual conversations with ladies in shops, restaurants, music centres, dance centres, kindergartens...there were still many who have never voted.

I am not a politician. Can't ever imagine being one!

But I am upset by people constantly complaining "the government is terrible", "that Minister is useless", "the country is being run into the ground", "that's my tax money being used for another white elephant project", and when I ask them if they vote, they sheepishly say "no". Well, they get a little education from me there and then!

"If you don't vote, you have no right to complain!"

I drove several of my new friends to get themselves registered as voters. I hassled a long time friend working in KL to get registered - she finally did.


You have the right to vote. You have the right to vote for whichever party you believe will form a government that will lead Malaysia for the betterment of all Malaysians. Just like Michelle Yeoh our Ipoh Bond girl, has the right to publicly support the party of her choice.

And for Malaysia to be a true democracy, our political leaders must learn to accept that there must be CHANGE in the country's leadership! Otherwise, what is the point of elections if the same party wins again and again? It's just a sham then.

I have read many comments on the net which roughly go like this,"Kenapa mau ubah? Selalu mau ubah saja!" Such thoughts demonstrate complacency, political immaturity and a fear of trying something new (and perhaps better).

When the party and PM in power can never be sure whether they will still be in power for the next term, that's when they do their job properly, think long term and deliver fair, sustainable policies to the rakyat.

Exercise your vote. UNDILAH!

(image from allposters.com)