A Sad Day For Malaysians

The Egyptians are rightfully rejoicing for being able to force president Mubarak out of office after some 18 days of protests and rallies.

But it remains to be seen whether democracy will thrive in Egypt, or whether Egypt will become an autocratic theocracy like Iran.

But what I find ironic is that Egyptians are grateful to the military, when in the first place it must have been obvious that they, and the west, were the ones who had been propping up the Mubarak regime for so long. But maybe the people have no choice.

After what happened in Tunisia and now in Egypt, the question is often asked whether Malaysians will do an Egyptian. The general consensus here, including that of the former U.S ambassador to Malaysia Mr John R. Malott, who recently wrote an article in WSJ  The Price of Malaysia's Racism that caused a furore here, is that Malaysians are too gentle and patient to do an Egyptian.

But obviously to forestall such an unlikely eventuality, PM Najib nevertheless warned that the government would not tolerate an uprising. Unfortunately, Najib went further in a veiled threat to the Malaysian business community not to vote the opposition.

This is a sad day indeed for Malaysians, who have for too long been told by the government, helmed all these 60 so years by Umno, that only it knows what is good for the people, as if the people cannot think for themselves.

The government, and by implication Umno and Barisan Nasional, would do well to explain to the rakyat why they are the better choice to govern the country rather than to threathen the people to vote for them.