Tomorrow I will be proudly wearing my latest T-shirt which arrived in time for our 63rd Merdeka Day.
The T-shirt has a motif of the Jalur Gemilang and I thought it is as good as flying the national flag to display one’s patriotism.
But that’s on the outside. Deep inside, I feel sad and disappointed. There’s anger and disbelief.
These negative feelings have been there for some years now and it’s worse each time Aug 31 approaches.
The country has been hijacked by politicians. They are the puppet masters who pull the strings at one end and the people are at the other end.
It’s no holds barred for these politicians. It’s not about the good that needs to be done or is being done for the people. It’s more about who is more evil.
Thus it’s not surprising that they keep saying “choose the lesser of two evils”. It’s like a declaration that they are evil – just decide who will throw you in the fire and who will put you on the barbecue grill. The difference is the same, isn’t it?
When you drag down the people in your battles, you are doing a disservice to the nation.
Talk about a third force is not new but we are missing something. The third force has always been there.
WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE THE THIRD FORCE!
Then why are we left to the mercy of conniving and manipulative politicians? It’s because we allow it to happen.
It’s because we are not fighting for the well-being of the people. Instead, we are fighting for the well-being of the politicians we adore, even idolise in some cases. It doesn’t matter if they are right or wrong. As long as we’re on the same side, everything is fine and justifiable. But the other side – they are so evil! They are out to ruin the country.
The truth is they are all the same. The blame game has been going on for ages with little to differentiate between the two main sides.
When the third force starts fighting for each other and standing up against what is wrong, no matter which side, then we will have the power to bring these politicians under control.
But as long as we keep fighting among each other to protect the politicians, we will always be on the losing end. They will be in power instead of us and they will pull the strings harder to make us sway the way they want us to.
We have a battle for independence on our hands – independence from dishonest and destructive politicians. We have to break free from them or the third force is doomed.
Selamat Hari Merdeka.
Watch Twentytwo13‘s A Merdeka To Remember