Why every patriotic Malaysian should participate in Bersih 4 – David Quek
Some have argued over the futility of Bersih rallies but they are wrong, because the groundswell is growing ever bigger and more powerful. The world and yes, even our detractors, our intimidators are listening and they fear us more than we do them!
There are enough naysayers who believe that being placid and non-provocative is the safest path in our humdrum lives – just pray for karma, divine intervention and trust in our own spiritual supreme being, our god and the inherent “goodness” of our leaders. Vote them out at the next election if we disagree with their wayward governance, we say. Stay the peace, don't provoke the unknown, the possible retribution.
People power has more often than not shown the forceful exit of dictators and autocrats (sometimes sooner but occasionally later, after much hardship and bloodshed even). But we owe it to ourselves and our children to reclaim our stake in a righteous cause and be part of it.
We cannot afford to sit by as history pass us by. We must have the gumption to be morally and physically brave and courageous to play each of our parts as a collective current to sweep away the political leeches who are shamelessly corrupting, pillaging and impoverishing our beloved nation and our limited resources.
Our shrinking ringgit is emblematic of the discontent and the sharp devolution of our once great nation now gone rogue and on the verge of bankruptcy and default. We can't stand idly by as we slide down the increasingly slippery steep slope of a possible failed state.
Don't let the bullying detractors of true democracy derail us from our righteous cause. It behooves each and every one of us who love this nation to stand up and be counted. As playwright and social activist Kee Thuan Chye posits, if not now, when; if not us, then who?
Robert Kennedy expressed this most poignantly: "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Jom Bersih 4! Let's rally and walk for a better Malaysia for all Malaysians, for our dignity, our future and those of our children and our children's children! – August 27, 2015.
* Dr David Quek reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
