LET POLITICIANS RAMBLE ON

THE Selangor Pas Youth deputy chief recently threatened to hold a mega rally if certain politicians did not apologise for some statements they made. Some Malaysians considered them hurtful.

While we defend the right to assemble and voice opinions, we also caution people to be wiser about demands.

Do express your disagreements and thoughts. Freedom of expression is needed in a healthy democracy. It helps the government understand the will of the people. But don’t demand an apology. A forced apology has no value at all. If they wanted to apologise, they would already have done so, without needing anyone to tell them to. If they do not want to apologise, we should respect their decision to make clear their stand.

And when they do apologise, will that be enough? Will that make everything fine again? Think of these questions the next time you feel the urge to force a reluctant apology from anyone.

Why do we allow our leaders (both government and opposition) to misbehave and then simply apologise? Why are we so generous with them? Why do we tolerate substandard leadership?

It is time Malaysians were less forgiving, and demand higher standards from our leaders.

Some were corrupt, yet we forgive. Some practised nepotism, yet we forgive. Some misrepresented themselves with fake degrees, yet we forgive.

Some incited hatred, yet we still forgive. We deserve the leaders we have. But we can change this.

In a true democracy, informed choice is very important. We are, in fact, tasked with choosing leaders who should ideally embody our values and hopes.

This is not easy for the rakyat, as many of those who desire power wear multiple masks to suit the occasion.

However, once in a while, they feel comfortable enough, and reveal their true selves. In a world full of confusion and hypocrisy, honesty is a luxury. It is a rare treat when politicians decide to reveal their true nature.

When that happens, they should not be forced to apologise and cause more confusion. Instead, we should just let them ramble on.

Observe and take notes. It will help us make an informed decision when we need to.

To YB Teluk Intan, YB Bagan and YB Mengkibol, there is no need to apologise, if you don’t feel like it. Thank you for being honest. We need such frankness to understand where you stand on issues, and help make an informed decision when we vote.