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I don’t support demonstrations. Only those desperate for attention take part in them. In my teens while attending a fully residential school in Ipoh, we used the term kirim salam as a derogatory wish, although it means in direct translation ‘wishing a person well’. It’s in the way it is said, sarcastically and cynically.

The way I feel about the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Shahrir Samad right now I want to say to them from the bottom of my heart, kirim salam . I must confess that I like the PM. He is a very nice guy. Loving father and very caring leader. Ironically, such qualities alone don’t not make him a good leader.

In a difficult and demanding scenario like now, we need an extraordinary person to lead the pack. Finding new paths and leaving tracks behind for others to follow. As PM, you must think differently and should be able to tackle at least 3,000 problems at any one time and stay awake. Some 25 million people including illegal immigrants are depending on your wisdom.

The PM’s job is not for an ordinary Joe who is unable to read 200-page reports. One must be sincere and take full responsibility of the consequences of actions. I turned down many offers to lead my organisation because of the ‘accountability’ attached to the job.

The top job of course is usually blessed with perks and the unwritten benefits which open doors to unlimited opportunities. If the PM think he is the best, and is still the best guy to lead this country out of the hard times, he is entitled to that opinion. We are entitled to disagree and tell him kirim salam .

But, please no more demonstrations. There is no need to demonstrate. We are now almost fully connected. Every Siti, Mak Jah and Kak Tipah owns at least a China made N-series Nokia handphone. Every Kassim, Mat Dol and Jompot browses the Internet every now and then.

We are literally connected to plan our agenda, openly. Our agenda is for peace. We are not communists planning a treason. What is important now is for us to get organised and send the biggest ‘kirim salam’ message to PM. We must make peace with him.

Now is not the right time to further worsen the situation. Life is difficult, let’s not complicate it.

Please give the cabbies, shopkeepers and restaurant operators peace of mind to strive for their honest income.

Teach our children, beginning at home. Tell our children we are not at war but are at peace with the PM. Tell them we have to tell PM that we want nothing less than peace. Peace of mind, peace from uncertainty and peace from poor quality leadership.

To achieve that, we appeal for our children’s understanding that we may have to subscribe to some extreme measure. May be we should coordinate stay-ins for two weeks. Take unpaid leave for two weeks. Get a good rest, think and reevaluate where are we now and what we want to achieve in the next few years. Ponder on what is going to happen in the next five years if the PM stays.

We must tell our children frankly. Life is tough, very tough now. ‘Daddy is only making about RM800 one month as an office boy. The cheapest bag of rice is now RM25 for 10 kilo."

Everything has doubled since Abdullah remarried. We have to tell the prime minister to vacate his seat without violence or demonstrations. Maybe, we too should tell our respective religious leaders to pray that God would open our PM’s heart now and realise that he must resign.

I sincerely feel that we must choose a date and decide how best to do to tell Abdullah that we want peace. We want him to vacate the seat. We have had enough of suffering under him. He has to know that he is not good enough for the job.

On that day, I hope the silent majority will finally celebrate peacefully and joyfully that the PM is stepping down, with flowers in our hand, love and respect in our hearts. Mr PM, we want peace and prosperity so please step down!

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