The Facts, The Myths & The Truths

This would probably my last piece on this New Dawn. I will try to be brief but hopefully do not miss any point.

The facst are:
1. BR won in 5 states (6 including the Territory) against BN's 8
2. DAP won outright control in One state and a major control in another, PAS in two; PKR has a major control in one.
3. BR won over 50% popular votes in peninsular and about 47% overall
4. Two states have a requirement for a Malay Muslim to be the Chief Excutive Officer of the state

The myths are:
1. People voted for a particular party in BR instead of the whole pack BR
2. The number of seats won by BR reflect the wishes of people which can be translated into the control of the state
3. People voted for BR parties because they love the each of the parties
4. The mandate given to BR is a licence to exercise their newly found authority - BR member parties to implement its own policy per se.
5. The newly elected government will revamp the whole system overnight.
6. The win was due to BR's own effort.
7. People booted BN because they did not like development.
8. People will support you all the time.

The truths are:
1. People voted for BR as a pack of three parties not on one party alone.
2. The number of seats won simply means the number of seats BN lost
3. People voted for BR parties because they hated BN - even members of BN's own component parties voted against their own candidates.
4. Each BR member party has to modify the approach in implementing party policies to benefit all people, not only their own members and groups. They ought to remember that they have been promoting fairness and just cause for the rakyat not section of the rakyat. If they choose to implement selectively then they will be no different than BN. In fact they will be even worse because they did not walk the talk.
5. The administrative and delivery system needs to be properly reviewed by independent groups comprising professionals and experts who are impartial to political parties but with the benefits for the people utmost in their mind. This is where the new government ought to be extremely careful so that those who are romped into improvement teams are genuine and not fence sitters who are only eager to ride on the bandwagon and grab all they can. I have seen this kind of people who can readily change their uniforms overnight. Those who served in the tink tank of the previous administration should never be given any chance to do the same at least in the early stage. Their claim of expertise should be treated with extreme care. Otherwise they could just be 'gunting dalam lipatan'.
By the same token, there are genuine people who had no choice but had to follow/do certain things previously to ensure their survival. For instance they were asked to be a member of a BN component party before they can even have a chance. This group of people should not be victimised the second time. In fact don't be surprise that membership forms of BR member parties will become like hot fried banana in weeks and months to come. In the excitement to increase membership, there could be many black ships in the group. In fact if those involved in recruiting are naive, there could be many 'musang berbulu ayam' in the herd! In short the process in forming representative groups has to be monitored carefully.
6. The win was not due solely to BR member parties own effort. For instance DAP has been trying to capture penang for almost 30 years but to no avail. Similarly PAS had only succeeded in the east cost before. Of course PKR is new and was almost wiped out four years ago. So, on their own each party would not have the chance to win many let alone winning the right to govern the states. In short the win was due to all these parties working tohether in a united front regardless of policy differences and most importantly fully supported by the people who mattered - the voters be it in the form of Reformasi or Makhal Sakhti...it was simply People's Power! Please do not make a fool of yourself claiming or attributing your win without sensitive consideration for the people. So, DAP, the wishes of the people is for BN to get lost and BR to get a chance to govern! BR means DAP-PAS-PKR not DAP alone! And in this bond we have all Malaysians. You were given a chance together so WORK TOGETHER! Any differences should be resolved behind closed doors not infront of the press. Remember it takes time getting used by this press corp to treat you decently after years of looking at you guys with a slanted one eye. They are eager to capitalise on your mistakes especially when you pott your sour foot in the mouth, let alone shooting on your foot or worse still your head. Use your rational hat all the time. I suggest throw away or donate to the museums the emotional hats.
7. Rakyat still need the development but in a way not to burden them. The development should improve the quality of their life and their families too nowand also the future. The spiritual development should also not be neglected. The cycle of poverty has to be discontinued and dismantled. Do good things and remove bad things. Then we are ready to move on the right track!
8. People will be watching and give their support if you deserve them. They will be more crtical knowing that you know better than imitate those BN guys.

In summary, it will be lessons well learned if the newly elected BR representatives start looking at the Truths (the list was not exhaustive) rather than being buoyed by the Myths. Otherwise BR would be = BN and come the 13th GE, you know where you will be as part of history!

Best of Luck guys!