We are a nation at the crossroads, we have a huge decision to make and that is; are we to deny the BN its two-thirds majority? An elderly man I spoke to had this to tell me, ‘Yes but if we all think that way then we are asking for trouble, as the opposition has not been tested and their ideologies all differ’.

The old man is right in that opposition ideologies differ, but whatever it is, we can all rest assured the BN will win hands down again no matter what. Even if all the Chinese and Indians vote for the opposition, the BN will win and even if 60% of the popular vote goes to the opposition, the BN will win because that is how the constituencies are crafted. Crafted in such a way that come what may, the BN will win. But then, if 60% of the popular vote goes against the BN, they will be left with a simple majority and that is enough to put things right.

A nation without a credible judiciary, with a seemingly corrupt Anti-Corruption Agency and an incompetent police force that is more concerned arresting peaceful demonstrators are the real reasons why citizens have to seriously take into account the type of government they must and should have.

A nation whose government is infected by corrupt politicians who will stop at nothing, with politicians who enrich their children and their children's spouses, with leaders who are dictated to by their sons and son-in-law, whose leader sleeps on the job and does not seem to know what is happening, who orders his police force to spray chemically-laced water from water cannons on women and children who are trying to approach him with flowers as a peace offering, a leader who limits the scope of an inquiry that is to investigate the corruption and integrity of the judicial system that harbours crooks and ministers who have been involved in the fixing of trials, is a nation in deep trouble.

The time has come for all Malaysians irrespective of race and religion to stand up and be counted, to be brave enough to say ‘No, we will not have any of this anymore’ and to vote against this tyrannical regime.

All ills, including the inability to achieve the goals of the NEP are all because this regime is corrupt and more has gone into the personal pockets than to the people. That will explain how seemingly ordinary men become so wealthy after entering politics.

The theme for this election should be ‘It’s now or never’ because if this government does remain in power for the next five years, it will spell disaster. There will be a rise in medical costs, the price of food and other basic necessities will soar and the price of petrol may see vehicles abandoned by the roadsides, All this is no imagination, it is real.

The BN government needs this election to increase prices, to continue to purchase arms and go into mega-projects where their politicians may be enriched, the way they go about enriching themselves, their lackeys and then to say they have the mandate to do just that when questioned by a weak opposition.

The question is are we to give them this mandate? Or bravely stand up and say ‘Enough is enough, it has to stop here’ and deny them their two-thirds majority. After 50 years, have we matured enough?