Happy New Year?

In less than 20 minutes 2008 will be gone. What a year! Suffice to say events that happened both in Malaysia and abroad would have left lasting marks in our history books.

Very few people are looking forward to 2009 as everybody is bracing themselves for a difficult year ahead. It may even be disastrous year. If I were to look at the present circumstances, it doesn't give me much hope.

Just few hours ago before we left our office one of my colleagues told me how she is living in fear everyday. She stays in Section 14 Petaling Jaya. She just witnessed a crime committed right in front of her house a few days ago. Two men were trying to rob a man in broad daylight. The victim put up a fight and was badly slashed. She told me nearly every week there is someone will getting robbed in broad daylight in her area so much so that now when she reached her home, she will look around first and quickly dash into her house.

I feel so angry listening to her. Why are we being subject to such fear? The country is descending into lawlessness and yet the very people who are supposed to enforce the law and protect us chose to harass and abuse us. Arresting people who assembled in a peaceful manner, harassing and arresting young people who cycled in their campaign to bring about a more just society, wasting time manning roadblocks to prevent people from gathering in a peaceful manner to express themselves.

As I type I can hear the sound of fireworks ushering in 2009. What is in store for our nation? Fireworks means celebration but is there really anything to celebrate? Despite the heroic effort of the rakyat in pushing for change through the general election in March, we are still stuck with a government who doesn't listen to the rakyat and in 3 months time we are going to have a Prime Minister who doesn't inspire any confidence. Leaving aside his personal baggages, he is as intellectually deficient as Pak Lah based on his pronouncements on certain issues. It may be OK if he comes in during times of economic prosperity but he is coming in at a time where some experts tell us the current economic situation may be as bad or even worse than the Great Depression. We don't need someone who only can tell us to change our lifestyle or if something is not right all we have to do is just change our perception.

I'm in no mood to celebrate and don't feel like wishing people a Happy New Year. Instead I would like to wish all the people I know, stay safe in 2009 and may God protect them and watch over them.

(The fireworks didn't last very long. I guess not many are in the mood to celebrate or is it they just got the royal decree from RPK)