Arif, if I vote you, do you represent me or UMNO in Parliament?

Turns out roving reporter, Nandakumar, is registered to vote in Permatang Pauh.

Here are Nanda’s thoughts.

I suppose if he is able to get time off from work to go back to PP early, he will want to find the time to confront all candidates with his questions before he votes on 26th August.

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I called and spoke to my brother yesterday. Apparently a few days back, as he was coming back home after morning prayers, he noticed there were 3 men talking to my grandma at the ‘thosai’ stall, which she helps to man. After awhile, my brother went to the stall and engaged these men in conversation and apparently they were keen in asking questions in relations to the Indian community in our area. My brother just obliged them till the questions got to the coming by-election and the candidates. My brother, being himself, probably decided he had enough of these beating around the bush crap, decided to just tell them, the essence of it being that knowing the people around that area, these 3 men may not return back in one nice piece if they are planning to go and ask for votes door to door.

I couldn’t help smiling, imagining the situation of 3 middle aged men (I was told later by my brother that they identified themselves as MIC heads from Selangor) being schooled by a young man. That’s one component party trying to obey their masters but found them being humbled by the power of the people. Let’s move on to the next component party.

In the Star’s report titled ‘Ong:Arif Shah is a liberal, acceptable to all races’

the star

The learned Secretary-General of MCA saw it appropriate to comment that the candidate went to Chinese Vernacular School and was able to mix with all people. While State MCA Chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai saw it fit to say in regards to Arif Shah, “As a Malay candidate who speaks fluently in Chinese dialects, he understands and reflects the views of the Chinese community here.”

These kinds of statements, dear sirs, just beg to get whacked, in my humble opinion.

Well, Tom, Dick, Harry and Jambuist Z all went to national school. They all speak Malay fluently, even though based on their skin colour and recent developments; they might just not get out in one piece if they went to UiTM.

Point is does it matter how many languages one can speak fluently if one’s affiliation is to a party that has again and again proven to us Malaysians that they are against all that we wish that this nation could be?

Does it matter if we mix well with everyone when we are dictated that we are duty bound to the party and not to the people whom we mix well with, who helped put us in the parliament in the first place?

Does it matter if the candidate is liberal and acceptable to all races when the candidate pledges his/her loyalty to a party that perpetuates the concept of divide and rule, where they see it fit to segregate us, Malaysians, in terms of racial distinction?

My brother told me that a few people whom he had been speaking to were also in a bit of a predicament; they are in Arif Shah’s DUN constituency and they feel that he is doing alright.

What these people need to realize is that he will still be holding his DUN seat whatever the outcome of this by-election will be.

What they also need to understand is that the service done in the constituency to the constituents in terms of easing their day-to-day life differs from the role that they are going to entrust upon whomsoever they choose, come 26^th August 2008, to send to the parliament. They have to realize that they are entrusting upon that person the right to decide on behalf of them on things that may affect their rights and their lives whether they realise it or not.

We vote to send in our representative, a representative that we trust would act on behalf of us to safeguard our collective interests, a representative whom shall not bow down to order from the superiors to toe the party line and as such who will not betray the responsibilities entrusted by the people.

I can still empathize with my fellow constituents on their predicament, because, maybe some of them are not clear on these DUN and Dewan Rakyat seats. These can still be explained and informed to them.

However, In The Star’s report titled ‘Candidate Surprised with Anouncement’

the star

Arif Shah said, “Anwar said he could win if he contested anywhere. Let him look elsewhere in Kuala Lumpur where he normally interacts. This is not the place for him to offer himself. The people of Permatang Pauh needs a service-oriented representative,”

This kind of justification too, especially since its coming from the candidate himself, dear sir, begs to get whacked, also in my humble opinion.

Does it really matter if the representative lives smack in the middle of the constituency if when the time comes to decide on things that matter for people of Malaysia, the representative cannot carry out his/her duty that was entrusted by the people?

Instead the representative has to toe the party line due to the fear of losing the given position, wrongfully allowing the false notion that the party is responsible to bring them to where they are to get into their head when in fact it was the people who put them where they are.

It certainly didn’t matter to all of the BN MPs, regardless of their geographical location when it came to deciding on the amendments to Article 114. Their constituents wrote to them. Check the below link for prove.

The People's Parliament

Yet the MPs decided against the wishes of the members of their constituents. Check the below link for prove.

The People's Parliament

As a voter in Permatang Pauh and Seberang Jaya, I’d like to put this question to the YB, isn’t that why we sent you to the Dewan Undangan Negeri? To have a service oriented representative who can better serve the people.

Tell me why do I need to send you to the Parliament as well when I’m not convinced with your party’s track record where I don’t see that you will be able to retain your individuality and as such I’m also beginning to have doubts on your intentions seeing that you are aligning yourself to that party?

Explain to me how would you have voted when the bill to extend the retirement age of the EC Chairman was tabled in our parliament last year knowing full well that you are a member of BN where the so-called punishment for not toeing the party line is known to create terror in the hearts of the members even more than facing the wrath of God, let alone the people.

Kindly clarify and justify to me your statement which seem to reflect that geographical location plays a major role in choice of people standing for parliamentary seats, for if you still hold on to the notion that MP’s are there to ensure that the drains don’t get clogged, I’m terribly sorry sir, I don’t see any reason for me to send you to our parliament.

-The People's Parliament