From Clement Stanley
Every time there is an election, be it the nationwide polls or a by-election, you will see hypocrisy crawling out of the woodwork from various politicians. It is no different in this forthcoming by-election for Kuala Kubu Baharu on May 11.
Take the case of the Pasir Mas MP from PAS trying his level best to show that the DAP candidate from the unity government is a by-product of a Chinese vernacular school.
It is as if Pang Sock Tao committed a crime in the way Ahmad Fadhli Shaari was harping on the issue, yet he conveniently decided to overlook the fact that his fellow MP from PAS for Temerloh, Salamiah Nor, had sent her children to one.
Why hasn’t Fadhli said anything about it? Why the hypocrisy?
Similarly, P Ramasamy of Urimai is now determined to see Pakatan Harapan lose this by-election and is demanding for better treatment for the Indian community.
What did he actually do for the Indian community in Penang when he was the deputy chief minister II?
He should list his achievements for the community not only in Penang but in the country as a whole when he wielded power from 2008 up to 2023.
After being dropped for GE15, he suddenly realised that not enough has been done for the Indian community? I find that difficult to swallow.
But, then again, it would be hypocritical to just take the opposition to task for being hypocrites.
After all, the unity government we have now is formed by two coalitions that are themselves the biggest hypocrites as far as the run-up to the last general election is concerned.
The public spat between MCA and DAP is another case in point.
No point pretending they can work together when there is an election. Many know the disdain and ill feelings between MCA and DAP run deep. Why waste your time campaigning for a sworn enemy? That, in itself, is a mockery of the word “unity”.
And the lack of reforms implemented, as some critics have pointed out, makes the government look even more two-faced.
Sadly, it seems that elections are merely a process to replace one batch of hypocrites with another.
And funnily, if we, the voters, don’t partake in this mundane exercise every five years, we would be branded hypocrites if we were to criticise the government as we would have no right to do so.
Clement Stanley is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.