Angels & Demons, Enemies & Friends

Posted: 08 Nov 2009 10:37 PM PST

I always like to look out for things that people have to say about my Party and me, and this has always been in the spirit of open-ness that my website/blog has dedicated itself to.

Recently I came across this website that is both 'drama-tic' and 'plot-ful' to read, and which I would like to share it with all of you.

The URL is http://www.gerakan4u.com/en/blog/article/teh-tarik-forum-kampung-buah-pala-unplugged/#post-comment

I recommend that you read the comments found therein and analyse it with an open heart. My attitude towards those whom have used a Gerakan-based website to criticise its leaders is inappropriate and in these times of great challenges, it is not in the spirit of 'Satu Hati' to openly criticise one's leader whom you have chosen and voted for.

Even if they are not (the Leaders) the ones you have chosen for nor voted for, in the true spirit of democracy, one should at least respect the wishes and wisdom of the others whom have voted them in, at least for the term while they are in office.

The detractors are many and there will never cease to be more to come in the days ahead. Instead of trying to call for me to resign or for any other National Leaders to step down, it would be more fruitful and appropriate to think of strategies and ways to help the Party move forward in these trying times. And when you have succeeded in doing that, there will be no shortage of people who will rally behind you and vote you in as the new leader post-2011, when the Party will see a new term of leaders to helm the Party.

If at these times, your intention is to do maximum damage to the Party by criticising and sabotaging what the leaders are trying to do, in the end, it will be harder for the Party to rise from the ashes and make a come back.

If the public sees that our own members cant even agree and work together to make the Party 'work', then who will in their right mind still believe in the struggles of the Party.

Yes, I certainly feel your frustrations that you are feeling, just because you did not voted for me nor did you want to see me at the helm. The reality is that, many others have voted me in and you should now let the rule of democracy take its course. If I'm no good, then by all means, boot me out in 2 more years, other wise, lets rally together so that our ship remains sailing and that we reach our destination together. I have said it over and over again that I'm all ears and is willing to listen. Would you be willing to at least give me honest and open opinion as to how we can make Gerakan Youth better!

There is no 'wisdom' is trying to burn the boat down before we even reach halfway point. Now is our greatest 'turning-point' and we must take this window of opportunity to make good.

Comrades, whether you like me or not, please work together so that when 'you' eventually take over the Party, it would be in the strongest that we can be, not at its weakest! Do you see my point?

In the end, I cannot stop you from further criticisng the leadership or me personally, but I sure hope you do have the Party's future welfare in mind and will do your best to keep it alive.

"Men should never shit in his own compound, only idiots do that!" (Edward Blake, 1833-1912)

Feedback on our Gerakan National Youth Delegates Conference

Posted: 04 Nov 2009 07:19 PM PST

2 days after the conclusion of our 2009 National Youth Delegates Conference in Kuala Lumpur, I received numerous feedback either through personal sms or emails from various quarters. Some of which were very painful to swallow and some were downright nonsensical. Some border on pure personal attacks and others were "self-jacking".

I have to sieved through the barrage of mixed signals but decide to publish one of them in the following reproduced piece. It is verbatim except for the name of the sender which I have deliberately left anonymous to protect his/her identity.

The background of this particular case is that, during the Youth Delegate Conference, we have mooted 10 resolutions for the Delegates to consider and if found appropriate accepted as our official stand for the year 2009.

8 of the proposed resolutions were accepted and passed unanimously. 1 was amended with regards to the length of office an Office Bearer can hold for each position within the Party. The 10th resolution was about reviewing our status in the Barisan Nasional and if found neccessary to leave BN within one year.

This particular resolution was 'hotly' debated but in the end it was rejected unanimously because it was found to be against the spirit of us remaining in the BN coalition.

However in my winding speech for the Conference, I drew the analogy of us (the Party) travelling in a car going at 110kmh and should not jump out of the window until and when the car comes to a halt upon reaching our destination.

The feedback in the form of an email is as follows:-

Dear Mr Lim,
Whatever the reasons for Gerakan Youth to reject the motion to leave BN (and since it is a closed door affair we will never know), the analogy you used is inappropriate.

You suggested that the passenger should only get out when the car reaches the destination. Fair enough; but you have not said what the destination is. What is the destination the BN car is heading to?

And what if the driver (in this case UMNO) has lost his bearings and is now heading to a destination not agreed on by the other passengers in the car?

What if the driver has somewhere along the journey decided that the destination agreed on by his fellow travellers is no longer where he wants to go?

What if the passengers fail to convince the driver he has taken a wrong turn or that he should stick to the agreed destination?

Would you then not jump out of the car in desperation rather than go to a place you have no wish to go?

After over thirty years of trying to "change BN from within" it is time Gerakan took desperate measures. The fact that it hasn't can be interpreted by the public as the following:

1. Gerakan has not the cojones to stand up openly to UMNO. This is a fair perception considering how many times UMNO has humiliated Gerakan and its leaders. This humiliation is not a recent thing – remember Gerakan and the other minor partners in BN sent a memo to the PM and almost immediately had to retract it when the PM showed his displeasure?
Remember Gerakan said nothing when Mahathir declared M'sia an Islamic State – when the Constitution clears states that we are a secular nation? We can go on ad nauseam about the issues Gerakan failed to stand up for but that would take volumes.

2. Gerakan leaders are too used to the perks of office and have no wish to remove their snouts from the gravy train.

3. Gerakan is not able to challenge UMNO on many issues when its leader depends on UMNO's generosity for positions. They have essentially been bought and paid for.

I won't go on. Suffice to say that it is rather disappointing that you seem to have lost the idealism often associated with the young. The old are jaded, tired and mostly resistant to change but then it seems that Gerakan Youth has grown old before its time.

If the young have lost their appetite for change, or are afraid to query conventional wisdom or challenge the status quo where is the future? I am not politically aligned to any party. I am just a Malaysian who despairs for the nation – the direction the BN Car is heading.

–End of the email–

This is a painful lesson that all Youth Leaders in Gerakan have to swallow and take heed. We, as perceived by this reader (and hence the public) have lost our direction and should review our stand and position.

I'm willing to listen and will look out for new ideas to rejuvenate our Youth. Do you, the readers, have anything else to add that may help us reach our chosen destination?

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