LETTER | Open letter to Zahidi Zainul Abidin

LETTER | Dear Zahidi, it was with great consternation that I read your remarks, reported in the media today, where you blame the rakyat for the current political turmoil.

You mention that the voters only have themselves to blame for the country’s current political instability. The media quoted you as saying, “The people are the ones who made the decision; the situation today is because the people made such a decision [when voting] and the politicians are only correcting the situation.”

The mind boggles at your statement and how you can come to such a conclusion, so much so that I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

There is so much that is wrong with your statement on so many levels. It smacks of arrogance, ignorance and even foolishness. There are so many other adjectives that can be used as well. How can you even attempt to pin the blame on the rakyat for the shenanigans of politicians?

You are basically saying that the will of the people should be ignored and that the mandate given by the people does not matter.

Allow me to remind you how the process of elections and forming a government are supposed to work.

The people vote for their elected representatives. You were, in fact, one of those elected. The party or alliance with the majority in parliament forms the government. The government then carries out its duties for the rakyat. That is what the people voted for.

When scheming takes place to make the government of the day fall and when MPs jump ship, these MPs betrayed the people’s mandate. Pure and simple.

That is what happened in February 2020 in the Sheraton Move. MPs jumped ship and disregarded what the people voted for. These are the real people at fault. Don’t forget that. That includes you.

By saying that politicians are only trying to correct the mistakes of the people you are in effect saying that the will of the people has no bearing, that the people do not matter. You are going against the very semblance of what democracy is. This is pure arrogance on your part.

To question the people’s choice of their elected representative goes against the very grain of what democracy is about. 

For argument's sake, let’s say that the people did indeed make a mistake. It is not for you to try and rectify that mistake. It is for the people to hold their elected representative accountable and responsible and thus correct that mistake. If that fails, then it is for the people to then re-evaluate their decision at the next elections. 

And if the people decide they want to make the same 'mistake', it is their prerogative. That is what elections and democracy are about. It is pure ignorance to think or claim otherwise. The choice of the people is what is paramount, not what you think.

When MPs or ministers such as yourself try to justify political manoeuvring by saying that you are only correcting the situation, it shows that you have no concern for the rakyat at all. It shows that you do not honour the will of the people. It proves how self-serving you are and how you are only interested in your own political survival. It shows utter foolishness on your part.

Have you forgotten that you are supposed to work for the rakyat and do the will of the rakyat? Or has the power gone to your head? Have you forgotten that it is your own party that has caused instability in the current government by complaining and making demands for more positions?

You are a deputy minister of communications. Surely you should be able to communicate your thoughts in a far better and concise manner. The rakyat expects more. So much more.

I can only surmise that you are living in your own little bubble and have no clue what the sentiment on the ground is. I think it is time that someone burst your bubble.

Perhaps tomorrow you will turn around and say you were misquoted. That's what a lot of you politicians seem to do when you are caught out making foolish and imprudent statements.

Or maybe I just got it all wrong and what you really meant was that the people made a mistake by voting for you. Because quite frankly, your statement pinning the current political imbroglio on the rakyat is nothing short of shameless. Shame on you, Zahidi. 

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.