Fishing

Here is a story which I would like to share with all the viewers of my blog. The story started with Lee Kuan Yew, the former president of Singapore and Dr. Tun Mahathir, the former prime minister of Malaysia. They became a pair of good friends since they knew each other. This was especially so when they became the leaders of their countries respectively. One fine, sunny day, Lee invited Dr. Mahathir to go to the bank along Selat Tebrau (Tebrau Strait) for fishing. They enjoyed themselves with the picturesque scene along the bank while discussing about the future of their countries. During their conversation, Dr. Mahathir fishing rod seemed to be shaken by something and a big salmon was on the hook when the fishing line was pulled up. And so, Dr. Mahathir continued to get big fishes on his hook. Surprisingly, Lee was on the other hand, though he was sitting just next to Dr. Mahathir. Hours after hours and when it was about the time to leave, and Lee went back with an empty pail, he asked Dr. Mahathir, in the state of frustration, “How can you get so many fleshy fishes and I get nothing but the baits that we use are from the same pail?” Dr. Mahathir replied, “Well, the reason is very simple. It is because the fishes dare not open their mouths when they notice the fishing rod’s owner is Lee Kuan Yew.”

This story truly reflects on the political system in both Malaysia and Singapore, which seems to be quite different but shares the same name, called democracy. In Malaysia, it seems to have much more freedom for its people to exercise their speaker license compared to when in Singapore. The recent outburst of DAP chairman Karpal Singh, calling Anwar to be replaced as Pakatan Rakyat(PR) de factor leader as to responsible to the Perak PR government’s fall has stunned many of the senior leader of PR. He also alleged DAP adviser and its secretary-general for not supporting the party chairman’s ideas. Many of the politicians expressed shock and hurt over the slighted remarks made. Well, for me, it should be this kind of political culture yearned for by the people whereby a politician is free to speak the truth regardless of political affiliation. By right, we should call a spade a spade. I think Karpal manifested his principles when he openly questioned the stance of his own party when dealing with the debacle that broke out in Silver State recently. The most important thing to do now is to reconcile their vast difference of stance and share a common aspiration, which is to serve the people that elect them as their representatives. The remark made truly awake all the people, especially those politicians to tell the truth, instead of sweeping all the things under the carpet. It is the time for the people to practice their inalienable rights as citizens of this country. Or else, it would be like the fishes that meet Lee Kuan Yew.