Should Linda Tsen get the vote in a few hours’ time?
Here we have the Batu Sapi and Galas by-elections. The usual rhetoric is being used to fish for votes. As compared to Galas, the Batu Sapi “buy”-election has taken a new dimension where there is a tight fight between 3 candidates – Ansari Abdullah, 56 (PR), Datuk Yong Teck Lee, 51 (SAPP) and Datin Linda Tsen Thau Lin, 54 (BN).
What am I interested in is BN’s decision to field Linda Tsen, the widow of the late PBS Assemblyman Datuk Edmund Chong who was killed in a bike crash earlier this month.
Edmund, who was the incumbent MP of Batu Sapi is believed to have maintained a good record throughout his service. In 2004, he won unopposed and in 2008, despite BN’s loss of its two-thirds majority, Edmund took the seat with a comfortable win.
Many argue that Linda will able to do the same with quite a number of sympathy votes for her. Now, that sounds so wrong!
On what basis should we vote for Linda? Is it because she is a widow or late Edmund’s wife or because she is actually capable to lead? Has she been involved in community activities and contributed to the development and betterment of society?
BN has claimed that she is no stranger to politics as she has been involved in her own party as a Wanita Vice Chief.
But my concern is whether she will be able to work with the grassroots to uplift society? Will she be an agent of change?
Yes, Linda has lost her husband and she deserves our deepest sympathy but that cannot be a factor to elect her. Her calm appearance and ability to play a musical instrument is not sufficient.
It is still common that votes are being fished through eleventh hour deeds like dinners, concerts and project approvals. But after the dust has settled, the elected disappear, and the people abandoned.
Our mistakes in the past are haunting us. They contribute much to our contemporary flip-flop in politics.
Why do you think politicians do not fear the public? It’s simple. They think that with money anything can be done, bought or concealed. If our forefathers had voted wisely, we would not be in this miserable state. And today, we are told we need to vote for the widow of the former Assemblyman.
Politicians may speak about transformation, may beg for another chance, may promise development, may get dirty playing football or sepak takraw, may join you for dinner, lunch and breakfast but tomorrow after the election is over, off they go on their way.
This is the time where we, as voters, need to send a strong message to every prospective representative that our votes are not easy to come by. If we elect the wrong person, society will continue to suffer while the process of removing failed representatives is tedious.
Once the corrupt get into power, the system will in turn be corrupted, and the corrupt will do anything to sustain their power and position. Why do you think Chief Minister Taib is confident about winning the next Sarawak elections despite the unearthing of numerous issues including dubious land deals and the oppressed state of the Penans?
We elected failed people in the past and in a few hours, the responsibility to rectify our mistakes rests on the voters’ shoulders. It is difficult but possible. Use your votes wisely.
We need charismatic but also intelligent leaders who will be able to empower the people.
We do not need sympathetic, soft and greedy leaders.
Vote not out of sympathy.
Dinesweri has a curious mind and questions dim-witted people who accept things without question. Her heart keeps her busy by generating even more thoughts. Some are shared, unspoken and misunderstood. She believes in freedom but life must be fenced with law and order to prevent extremism. Yet, archaic and irrelevant laws which violate basic human rights must go. She is happy to be LoyarBurokking and tweets @dinesweri.
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