BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!

The people have spoken. The verdict is in. The 12th General Election will indeed go down in country's history as the defining moment.

Analysts have begun to conduct postmortems of various genres so to speak. In fact the dissection began even as polls results were streaming in showing states falling like pins. Fortunately that stopped at five. But isn't five an indicator that more can go the same way? But will they listen? No, no, no. Why? You see, they live in this sound proof building that cuts them off from all the reality of life faced by the ordinary citizen.

Even as I watched a postmortem with three establishment guys repeating all that has been bandied about so very often, I told myself history will keep repeating itself for Barisan Nasional. Do we blame the non-Malays for the heavy losses suffered by the BN? Were the non-Malays anti-Malay or anti-establishment? Why did Kedah fall? After all that northern state is predominantly Malay!

The vote for PKR, Pas and DAP came not based on the ethnicity of the voter or the candidate but based on the reality of the difficult life the ordinary man or woman is facing every day. It's pure bread and butter issues. A Malay, a Chinese or an Indian all stare into that common enemy - cost of living: increase in prices of essentials, the inability to put aside a couple of ringgit every month for future use, job security, etc. These are not race-based issues.

The ruling BN parties have lost touch with reality, lost their connection with the grassroots, are living in a Malaysia of three decades ago. Malaysians then were a gullible lot. With education and the advent of globalisation Malaysians today are an enlightened lot. But BN leaders have not kept abreast of events. They still believe they can manipulate the rakyat.

The people have been bullied, scolded, called names, made to run for cover to avoid getting beaten or have chemical laced water shot at them. All because some in the ruling coalition think that they are the masters. But aren't the people the masters? Don't the people decide who goes, who stays, who comes in? Hey, this is a democracy, man. Have you forgotten the Constitution gives each citizen the right to make that decision? So whether you go, or you stay is not the decision of your Party but the VOTER. So, give him or her the respect due.

The ruling coalition at national and state level as well as the new kids on the block - PKR, DAP and Pas in the 5 states under them - must get their act together. Work for the people NOT for your own benefit. I heard a panelist say that although UMNO members worked hard for the party, the people still rejected them in certain areas. I beg to differ. Those so-called UMNO members worked to fill their OWN coffers not for the benefit of the people or their party. Because the people had placed their trust in the party all these years, the party took it for granted that the support is eternal. The same is true for MIC and the MCA.

The support of a segment of the Malaysian Indians for Hindraf is not anti-Malay or anti-BN. It was to demonstrate their frustration at marginalisation. MIC, the so-called champion of the Indians had failed them. Now, that the MIC leadership has been annihilated in the polls, certain investigations against those responsible are in order. The Hindraf protest was a cry for help. The support of Malays, Chinese and Indians for PKR, DAP and Pas is also a cry for help. "You can't or won't do it for us, ok, we'll ask the other chap for help."

We see now a sudden demonstration of humility among the vanquished in the BN. Humility, my dear friend, is practised when you are the victor, not the vanquished, simply because humility is a virtue and it's difficult to practise a virtue during difficult times, not when the times are good. So, keep your humility, eat the humble pie, and get to work. Stop taking the people for fools.

They are after blood now. They want somebody to take responsibility for the huge losses and resign. Obviously they want the PM to quit. But why the PM alone? Doesn't the Cabinet practise collective responsibility? Aren't all the Supreme Councils of the BN component parties equally responsible for the failure? All of them should quit. Be men and women of honour. GO!

To me, no, I am not asking anyone to go when the going gets tough. I want you to stay and face the music. Find out what caused the debacle. I can list a whole load of causes for which you can find the remedy.

1. Corruption - among politicians, civil servants, the police, etc.

2. Highhandedness by the police, the Attorney General's chambers, the Election Commission, etc

3. Lack of respect for the electorate: imagine calling protesters "samseng" and bloggers "monkeys", etc

4. Failure to solve issues such as body snatching by religious authorities arising from the lack of directive by the Cabinet/Parliament. eg What's the status of a Muslim convert and his non-Muslim wife and children? Shouldn't the convert be told to settle everything with his wife and children in a civil court before he converts? That will be good for Islam, no?

The list is endless. And the work is cut out for BN to tackle in the next five years, failing which more support for it may erode. Beware the ides of March!