Mohd Arshad Raji
This is a message for all young people in Malaysia voting for the first time in the coming general election.
The election is not too far away. It could even come sooner than expected, if social media pundits are right.
A chance to reject corruption
This is your chance to make a real difference. You can vote out candidates known to be corrupt, no matter which party they belong to.
You alone hold the power to choose candidates with an admirable, if not impeccable, character – those respected for their knowledge, with a track record of genuine care for the people’s wellbeing.
You have probably seen and read what some past politicians have done to this country. You will also know that a number of corrupt politicians have faced charges in court. Shockingly, some of them were party leaders.
They have shamed themselves and their families and their own religion.
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Look at how certain corrupt party leaders behave when they appear in court. There is not the slightest sign of remorse on their faces. Instead, they smile, dressed in their best suits, while ardent supporters kiss their hands.
It is an act so distasteful that only someone deeply misguided would do it. What we are witnessing is supporters treating the tainted and the corrupt as if they were decorated heroes.
Loyalty that goes both ways
I am a Malay, a Muslim and a veteran. Malaysia is the only home I love.
Likewise, others, the ethnic minorities, have made this country their home too. They have served it the best they can, some with their lives and limbs. Their loyalty to the country is no different from mine.
As a soldier, I learned to live side by side, in harmony, with my ethnic minority brothers-in-arms.
So when a leader of a political party says he cannot sit beside someone not from his own party or ethnicity, it smacks of extreme racism.
It shows why the ethnic minorities have been viewed differently over the past six decades.
They have been victimised by political leaders bent on playing the race and religion cards just to stay in power.
What these leaders have done all these years to my minority brothers and sisters is nothing short of oppressive and cruel.
My religion forbids me from ill-treating people of a different race and religion, and, worse, from disregarding their plight.
Time for change
Like me, countless others have had enough of these corrupt, worthless politicians. This sense of being betrayed and exploited for far too long is coming full circle. Believe me.
So let’s show these candidates – the ones you know to be corrupt regardless of party – the exit door through the ballot box at coming general election.
We must be wiser and finally usher in a corruption-free, people-centric government of leaders and MPs.
The power to elect a government of your choice is in your hands. Make a difference through true, patriotic love for this nation.
So I appeal to all young voters casting their ballot for the first time. Vote wisely, for candidates free of the scourge of corruption.
Retired Brigadier General Dato’ Mohd Arshad Raji is a well-known veteran.
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
