Signs of Desperation

Yesterday August 21st, at about 8:15am, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took an LRT ride from Serdang Station to Masjid Jamek Station. The report in major newspapers stated that he was alone in the act. And yes no officially dressed escorts, no silly coat-draped officials under scorching Malaysian sun.



If you look closely though, there could be his bodyguards in the background. After all, sure he needs protection from possible danger. And I wonder how many reporters he brought along. Come on lah! Of course he wants to make sure this simple act published all over the media, particularly around Permatang Pauh.

Take note that in The Star paper, the heading of the report is "PM quietly takes public transport to experience commuters’ problems". Now, Im asking you. Do you think he was spontaneous in this act? Do you think he woke up in the morning, suddenly feeling itchy in the *tut* to ride the LRT? And By series of miraculous coincidences, that all the reporters also rode on the same tube, giving them golden opportunity to snap pictures? No it's silly! Someone had directly or indirectly could have invited reporters to snap pictures while he was 'seen' jostling in the sardin-packed LRT tube.

Poor commuters, they must have loathed the presence of the Prime Minister, his bodyguards and reporters in the LRT. Moreover the reporters must have brought along many equipments, lighting and bulky SLR camera, with elongated lenses. The lenses could have accidentally poked some unsuspecting commuters in the train, while reporters were getting the best position to take best pictures of the prime minister, in what looks like a frown isn't it?

Malaysia mainstream media, as you knew it, after this will start to pour out overused banal cliches such as "Berjiwa Rakyat", "Turun Padang", "Berhati Rakyat", "Berkenan Melihat Masalah Rakyat", "Memahami Masalah Rakyat", "Prihatin", etc. Seriously all these overused cliches make me wanna poop! They are commonly used in Malaysia, during ordination of a leader or any dignitary of state.

If Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is seriously Berjiwa Rakyat, then why only now he do this? When we know that next tuesday is the election day for Permatang Pauh, when we know that the result of the election will be a turning point, that will lead to either glory or debacle for Barisan Nasional.

Nowadays Barisan Nasional have shown Many sign of desperations, SOS. Almost immediately after the March 8 general election. Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi went to Sabah, supposedly to respond to calls for greater recognition for Sabahans MP in national politic. He brought along goodie bags full of candies for Sabahans. Do you still remember what he announced during the visit?

RM 1 billion special allocation for Sabah, monetary allocation for assemblyman and MPs, Borneonisation of Sabah civil service, Forming of Cabinet Committee On Illegal Immigrants, the scrap of the Sabah Federal Development Department, appointment of Sabah-born Professor Datuk Kamaruzaman Ampong as the new vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and 300MW (Megawatt) power station would be built in Kimanis, Papar.

Also a panel, jointly chaired by the state secretary and Sabah Federal Secretary, had been set up to streamline functions said to be overlapping with the federal and state agencies. And “Focus Group” on poverty established by the government in efforts to wipe out abject poverty and reduce poverty rate would focus on poverty eradication in Sabah and Sarawak.

Can anyone tell me how many promises were made? I am lazy to count lah. How many have been implemented? By "implemented" I mean completely done, proper execution and follow-up, not only by one, two or three cases. Like in the Borneonisation topic. What about the RM 1 billion? Where did they spent the money on? Any improvement on the rakyat? On what stuffs did the assemblymen and MPs used the monetary allocation on? Can anyone tell us? Can anyone give a statistic on the spending?

Does anyone remember how many panels, special group, task force, board, committees, commission, working group, focus group, etc.. have been promised by Barisan Nasional? Not from 1957, because that would be uncountable weren't they? But beginning from March 8, 2008 until today. How many? Can you count?

To Datuk Seri, we dare you to take a ride from Kuala Penyu to Sandakan to Kinabatangan in Sabah. Take the mini bus please, use small sampan to reach remote area along the Kinabatangan river. And please no reporters and no bodyguards, see if you can survive.