LIVE BY THE SWORD AND DIE BY THE SWORD

All the brouhaha about Datuk Shahrir Samad quitting the post of Backbencher Club Chairman after failing the gain the support of his members, to follow-up Datuk Mohd Said Yusoff (BN-Jasin) over his remarks to “tutup sebelah mata” to the Customs.

The issue begins when one company in Malacca reports to Datuk Said over the company particular shipments of timber that being held by the Malacca Customs because the shipments exceed the specified requirement set by the Customs department itself.

So the perihatin Datuk went over to the Custom Department and complained about this, when the Customs officer said that rules are rules, he cited that they should turn a blind eye because it is just a small discrepancy.

When the news reached the opposition spearheaded by DAP, the motion was mooted in Parliament saying that the MP has stepped out of line by exceeding his capacity as an MP i.e. pulling the necessary strings to benefit certain party. Datuk Shahrir Samad supported the motion in Parliament but his members didn’t support his stance.

Realising this, he quit his post becoz he felt that he acted on his conscience, his mandate comes from his constituency but will be discipline because he did not acted within the party line.

My take is this, this is not the first time when MPs voted out of the party lines. In 2004, two Gerakan MP choose not to vote a motion in Dewan Rakyat becoz they felt their constituency will be at a disadvantage. The result, they were suspended for 12 months for failing to toe the party line.

In 2005, Datuk Sothi from MIC, was suspended for arguing with the Education Minister over the Russian Medical University fiasco. He argued that why did the Education Ministry approved the Russian College in 2002 then withdrew it approval in 2005. He pitied the students and parents who will suffered directly because their degree is no longer recognized by the govt. They will not be able to practice, rugi la kan…

Now this…

What happen about character, pure chivalry, and principles? If the MP is elected by the people, he should acted by the people consensus and behave accordingly. When an MP felt that some should “turn a blind eye” over one issue is a man of little ethical beliefs and a man of no integrity. This type of MP should be forced to resign because his blatant disregard of the law! The law is to protect the people and his behaviour acted against the wish of the people!

While a man like Datuk Shahrir Samad and Datuk Sothi are being suspended because they stood on their grounds, believe in their principle and knowingly acted in the best interest of the people.

All we learned in school and university about standing up for what we believe, acting on our principle are all a dream. We can no longer think beyond the boundary of what the govt. wanted us to think. The ruling party is absolute and absolute obedience is required.

What about our duties to the nation? To our beloved country? We love William Wallace in the movie “Braveheart” because he live and die on his principle that Scotland should be independent from England, We support Jerry Mecguire becoz he believe what he wrote and acted on it. Ellin Brokovich?

But now, we are told that all this can only happen in movies. The drama…and the triumph of good over evil is all bullshit. In reality perhaps, the bad guys win!

Alas…I believe that finally we have reached the pinnacle of our country governance, where principle and ethics are dead. We can no longer dream that one man can make a difference ..because you obviously can’t because you will acted out of the party line.

Ah…the euphoria of being controlled spiritually and physically!!