No homecoming for Chinese New Year

– George Lee
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 02, 2013

FEB 2 – Today I made a difficult decision not to return to Malaysia for the upcoming Chinese New Year. It is an inevitable sacrifice I have to make. There will be no family reunion dinner on Chinese New Year eve. I will miss the rare opportunity to meet up old friends from elsewhere as some only return to Malaysia during this festival period.

My ageing parents are longing for their favourite son to come home but it is not to be. I hope they understand my choice. I am going to miss all the fun, joy and get together. It saddens me for not able to be with my family but my love for my country Malaysia and the aspiration to carry out changes make the sacrifice a worthwhile endeavour.

In a nutshell, I am forgoing this once a year Chinese New Year festivity so that I can return on a later date for the upcoming general election.

When there was an announcement in the social media that Malaysians overseas are allowed to register as postal voters, I began to understand that we have a key roles to play in assisting our fellow countrymen to elect a truly people’s government.

We congratulate the Election Commission for taking this unprecedented stride and value our contribution to the democratic cause. Frankly, I expect more from the supposing independent and non-partisan organisation.

Over the last few months, there were copious fraudulent cases on the electoral roll brought by very competent groups with good supporting facts but the Commission has more often than not failed to counteract those cases properly. Latterly, the Commission chairperson chose to brush off the allegation with dubious, irrelevant and tactless statements.

As an ordinary non-partisan Malaysians, I would like to see constructive arguments, proof and action carried out by the Commission to fan off many of the accusation of ‘unclean’ electro roll so as to safeguard Commission’s integrity. However, with great disenchantment we see people helming the Commission not only having conflicting political interest but also lack of fresh ideas to run the organisation.

In short, the Commission has failed to do the necessary ‘to clear the contaminated air’. It is getting harder to believe that the Commission will act on many dubious identities on its database. In addition to the deny syndrome, the habit of sweeping the disease under the rug seem to be the norm of people in authority.

Any distrustful individuals and administration like the Election Commission will not gain respect from the people. The Commission fits the bill in a negative light at this moment of time with the 13th

General Election looming. The dismay attitude of the Commission will trigger many chain reactions as the people have awoken.

Many Malaysians reside outside the country will be determined to expunge the fraudulent electro roll with their votes. We all have a mission to accomplish on our returns.

As for me, I hope to make it a double celebration, a belted Chinese New Year and may the best man wins.

This is it. Change is imminent .

See you very soon my fellow countrymen. Gong Xi Fat Chai !