Nothing more patriotic than dissent

Once again, it is the monthly Merdeka celebration, where everyone stands out to show their patriotism by waving the Jalur Gemilang. And, yet, this year the celebratory decor in malls and even my own apartment complex seems moot.

Not due to a lack of patriotism, mind you. But that they are too concerned about the future well-being of their families.

The budgets are getting tighter, their kids’ education system is being reviewed by a moronic minister and. amid all that, there is a tinge of bleakness in Selangor where the very people trusted to carry out change are going back on their word.

Water tariffs are being reviewed and the free 20-cubic-metre water plan is being reviewed. A new tolled highway called the East Klang Valley Expressway is going ahead in the state, even when two more – Dash and Kidex – are being halted.

Subsequently, a huge swathe of green lung has seen itself re-gazetted to allow land development, so say goodbye to that.

On a national scale, a RM2.6 billion donation right into the prime minister's pockets just before the last general election has yet to be properly accounted for.

A RM50 billion state owned enterprise is showing no promise at all of actually doing anything more than corporate social responsibility projects.

Our currency is losing its lustre to the point that even the Johor sultanah is setting up a foundation to help those studying overseas, while our government continues to repeat the Martha Stewart mantra of "it's a good thing".

We have a transnational trade agreement which is marketed as the "benefits outweighing the costs" with no proof on the matter, headed by a ministry with a deputy minister who thought it a good idea to keep aerosol bug spray next to a stove while he made nasi goreng.

And while ministers and politicians continue their hissy fits, there has been no word on the progress of rebuilding the lives of 200,000 Malaysians displaced by the worst flood in Malaysia since the 1970s.

There has been no word of reparations and assistance for those in Sabah who suffered the quake that killed so many, of which even our neighbour Singapore gave recognition to during their Independence Day celebrations just recently.

Pirates are still slipping past our patrols and kidnapping Sabahans and tourists for ransom.

Foreign investors are pulling out, government linked companies are being roped in to take their place and quite frankly, there are already talks of Malaysia facing a housing bubble in the next two years.

Welcome to my thoughts.

With all this floating around, I cannot honestly say that I have absolute faith in the prime minister and his very expensive and expansive cabinet of bowls to turn things around.

Loyalty is no longer for sale at the price of doling out BR1M; it is earned. Respect for leaders starts at a zero balance sum and it fluctuates based on what you say and do.

Nobody is excluded from criticism, and nobody can stop the flow of information regardless how many regulations and censors or even green dams to block the internet, this government insists is for "security".

But at the same time, the Selangor government should not be beyond reproach for trying to pull off the same "state-owned investment arm" stunt as the federal government in their own little fiefdom.

Similarly, political entities and parties which cannot even deal with open dissent is not one I would support, and we have seen this happening among all of them. Perhaps the main reason why I never wanted to join any of them.

All sides of the political, social and even non-governmental organisation divide should be held to the same standards, especially if you have constantly preached "loving your country and wanting to save it".

If absolute power corrupts absolutely, then everyone’s patriotic duty should be to keep an eye out on everyone who holds even the smallest amount of power among those in authority.

Sure, the Jalur Gemilang will fly, I will stand up in the cinema and even the Damansara Performing Art Centre when their cast sings the Negaraku. But symbolic gestures aside, there are more things I do and everyone should do constantly in this country of ours to be patriotic.

And that is to dissent: to question and prod and ask everyone in authority to clarify and answer for what they do.

EA Games has its motto of "Challenge Everything". For those in the 1990's, Fox Mulder constantly reminds us to trust no one. If there was one lesson from “The Matrix” trilogy, it was that the only way to break the cycle is for both sides to work together, Architects and Oracles alike. – August 27, 2015. 

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.