Khir Toyo, what's your vision?

I REFER to the report in which former Selangor menteri besar Mohd Khir Toyo said that the Chinese voters are not receptive to the 1Malaysia concept and the NEM. He shallowly, as reported, goes on to say that rather than [Chinese voters] supporting the power sharing concept of BN, they are more inclined to increase their political might in Selangor through Pakatan.

For starters, let me say that his analysis that only zeroed in on the Chinese electorate is nothing less than flawed, ignorant and shameful. Khir Toyo must not use his brand of racial politics and extrapolate them on the way the people vote. Further, why did Khir single out the Chinese only? How about the Malays and Indians who voted for PKR?

I shall, for the sake of keeping this letter in context, articulate specifically to Khir's comments on the Chinese. Intrinsically, he refers to the Chinese electorate as if they are not deserving of anything from the BN government. For every school built for them, Khir tells them that they should be grateful for it. Schools, clinics and roads are the very basic needs of the people. The rakyat should not beg for it and then later told to be grateful for it. It is the government's duty to provide it. The rakyat asking for it is not and will never be beggars!

Let me posit an answer for Khir on why he is no longer and should never be MB again. If Khir practised a rakyat-oriented approach to governance, if Khir prioritized transparency and resisted the temptation of corruption and fighting it, he would still be MB.

Should the above suggestions be practised, building schools, roads and liberalizing sectors in the economy would be automatic without having the electorate make pitiful pleas for it.

The truth for Malaysia is that when it comes to the country's governance, race will definitely play a part. It is how you deal will it tactfully that matters. The concept of power sharing in BN is outdated and yet Khir wants voters to accept it out of gratefulness. Additionally, Khir's grasp of politics in Malaysia baffles me. It seems to me that he is telling the electorate what kind of issues they should or should not be concerned about.

If he is a true politician, Khir would address the electorate's concerns and not ask the electorate to be concerned about his worries! Khir should do what the rakyat tells him to do. Not the other way around!

From what I see, Khir still harbours hope of being MB again. The platform in which he wants to propel himself back to Shah Alam is through 1Malaysia hence his half-baked attempt to promote it. Let me point out and prove this.

I want to draw the readers' attention to the 8 Values of 1Malaysia. Amongst others include "Acceptance". I quote PM Najib in a video interview in which he explains that 1Malaysia "Acceptance" as:

"...a state of mind that you are embracing something positively. It is important for us now to migrate from this concept of mere tolerance to acceptance. Acceptance in the sense that you are ready to accept things because if you are willing to accept things and embrace things willingly, then your capacity to look at things in a more positive manner is much, much better than mere tolerance. I think that's important then it you don't have any baggage and you are not weighed down by any negative, preconceived notions and you are willing to look at the best that person can offer..."

Khir should not be a hypocrite of 1Malaysia and should go and practice the 8 Values his party promotes before he tries to preach it to the rakyat. Should Khir do so, he will learn to accept that BN's 1Malaysia will allow the rakyat regardless of race to choose who they want to vote for. In choosing who the rakyat wants to vote for, they should not be harassed on why they vote the way they did.

Further, he should also note that he has a lot of baggage from his once powerful past and is not weigh down by negative preconceived notions. Remember his huge mansion? What can the rakyat look in you to offer? Asking us for gratitude perhaps?

Politicians like Khir Toyo sums up BN and its warlords. Well meaning policies, lousy and skewered execution. I am afraid that in the end, if Khir Toyo really aspires to be MB again, he will have to get his own policies sorted out and his party sorted out, and offer a vision for the country's future, not a vision that would take us backwards.

Author,

www.kinetiques.blogspot.com