One the morning of April 30, as I was driving to work, I prayed to God for several things to be raised during the nation's historic 12 th parliamentary session: the end of corruption, the restoration of the independence of the judiciary and the removal of unjust laws that infringe of the basic rights of all law-abiding citizens.
When I read the headlines in the two mainstream newspapers the next day, I was at first sorely disappointed that the session was marred by disputes over points of order and name-calling between the two parties.
Didn't God answer my prayers as He usually does? Reading further (and we need to look hard for the real news buried in the manistream media though less so with the new media), I was surprised to see that Ong Ka Ting made a terrific speech about the one of the most important issues that turned the heavens - that is that the unfair subjection of non-Muslims against their free will to Shariah laws versus civil laws as in several cases in recent years.
This was a speech I expected the opposition to give as it is the most powerful attack against the government who is ultimately responsible for the erosion of religious freedom and rights as enshrined in the constitution.
I can see why Ong is motivated to stand up forcefully for the religious rights of the non-Muslims perhaps for the first time in his career. Let us now see whether he and the other MCA leaders will pursue these important issues that are dear to the hearts of many worshipers in this great country.
However, a speech will remain a mere speech unless it is followed up by committed action. He certainly has stolen the thunder from the opposition while BN and PR were entangled in a war of words.
If MPs like Ong can continue to stand up for the people regardless of partisan political affiliations, my prediction for Malaysia in the next six months is that we will have a new era of political language.
And the rakyat and God will be the judge as to whether these reformist impulses are sincere and effective in protecting citizens from unjust laws and a unfair judiciary.
This reminds me of the best line in the cartoon film ‘Horton’: - ‘A person is a person, no matter how small’.
Can Malaysians live up to the principle of equal rights for all citizens or are some persons more important than others because of their colour, their political affiliation or their religion?
