How many five years do you have in a life time?

Straight Talk Blog by khookaypeng30 July 2009

How Many Five Years Do You Have in a Life Time?


A few days ago, I received a sms from a friend informing me that shehas received an approval for her migration application to the US.Without hesitation, I called her up to congratulate her and remindedher to appreciate this opportunity.She has three school going children and it is not going to be easy forher, in her mid-40's, to uproot her young family from Malaysia tosettle somewhere thousands of miles away. Thousands of Malaysians areprobably doing the same yearly.Many of them decided to leave because all options have run out. Theydecided to leave because they do not see a future for their nextgenerations in this country. Friends who left their cushy jobs tomigrate do so because of their children. Not for their own comfort.This is why I have asked many friends this question, "how many fiveyears do we have in our life time?" How many five years can we affordto wait for real change to happen? Not that many. I have just sharedwith a friend that life is like a ticking time bomb. We not not knowwhen it will go off.The only thing we do not have in ample amount is time. Yasmin Ahmaddid not expect to leave us so soon. Beng Hock did not expect not towalk out from the MACC building alive. That is why we cannot expect towait forever for a real change to happen.Hence, I have been critical of the opposition PR leadership. Itsleaders should be made aware that whatever promises they made to thepeople will be held against them should they come into power one day.This is already happening in the four states ruled by the PRgovernment. People will hold them accountable for the reform promises.Unfortunately, I have come to realize that it does not pay to becritical in this country. We are still too keen to put a label on acritic - either he is anti-establishment or a BN lapdog. Only whenthis society becomes genuinely interested in real progress and reformsthat criticism can be fully accepted as a constructive action.If we want this country to improve, we need to become constructivecritics. We need to demand for the best and responsible governance.At this moment, the price to pay for being critical is huge. Manyorganisations, companies and individuals would do their best to avoidany link with critics although they may not necessary disagree withtheir views. They fear public persecution. They do not want to bestigmatized.However, if there is no effective check-and-balance mechanism thiscountry may turn for the worse. Many once developed and wealthysocieties had lost their wealth, influence and glow. They lost it allto poor governance, corruption, power abuse and brain drain. Can thissociety and local companies afford to face the same situation?How many of us are standing just inches away from the growing list ofmigrants? How many parents are quietly whispering to their children tostay back overseas once they have completed their studies? How many ofus are feeling less hopeful that this country can become a greatnation? How many of us are beginning to accept that racism is apermanent fixture of this society?How many five years can we afford to lose for continuing to tolerateand accept our fate that things will NOT change?Let me ask you sincerely how many critics can you afford to lose untila day when no one is left to speak up for you anymore?It is weird that I did not feel guilty asking my friend to be gratefulfor her successful application to migrate to a country much moresuperior and democratic than us.Is it something wrong with me or it is this country?

Posted by Khoo Kay Peng at 1:22 AM 0 comments