“Mirror, mirror on the wall who’s the closest of them all?”

Say that I come knocking on your door one day peddling a sale. I introduced my self to you as “Salesman A” and I am selling something that you really-really want and need, and at the price you could really afford. You just seemed so pleased that you won’t even want to bargain the price anymore. It’s a deal come true indeed and you just want to close that golden deal!

But there’s just one small tiny weenie catch…

In order for you to qualify for the purchase, at the price you like; you must do free commercial stints for us. That consists of allowing us to repaint the exterior portion of your new home in our corporate livery (pink and yellow), allowing us to do the same with all your cars in the garage and then allowing us to paint your face with the same livery daily 9 to 5. And you must live with this for the next 5 years.

So that’s the deal, you take or leave it.

High chances, by now the door has been slammed at supersonic speed, shut and locked just barely an inch from my silly sales nose.

The next day, I put on some fake costume, like a fake walrus mustache and then a Pee Wee bow tie on that proverbial Pee Wee moth-ball suit. I come knocking on your door peddling the same item for sale. I introduced my self to you as “Salesman B” and I am selling something that you really-really want and need, and at the price you could really afford. You just seemed so pleased that you won’t even want to bargain the price anymore. It’s a deal come true indeed and you just want to close that golden deal!

Off course you are smarter this time and you retort back at me questioning in order to qualify for the deal, would you be required to paint anything on your house, car or face say for the next five years?

“Goodness, NO!” I said smiling warmly and compassionately at you. And then continues; “this deal is a straight deal, you just buy what you need, at the price you want and at the terms you’ve dictated upon. I tell you what; you just pay me 20% today and the remainder let’s just put it on interest free financing for a 5 year’s repayment…how’s that? Would you buy now?”

Would you buy what I am selling you there? Yes, 100% says you would and not only that, I may even be invited to stay for dinner as well!

So what’s the different between Salesman A and Salesman B? Well apart from missing and making a sale, you may clearly see that the product they were both peddling was actually the same thing. But one salesman took the door on his nose and one more walked through it on a red carpet, thus what sets the two apart?

Resistance vs. Surrender; now, that was the one selling difference. Who’s not rebellious among us? It is human nature to be rebellious; even our Creator distinguishes and acknowledges that in this one creation of His.

Okay now let’s take this observation one step up; say we now view this from the standpoint of the District Sales Manager. As District Sales Manager, we are being invited to deliver a Key-Note address on the subject of sales and marketing. So let’s go and talk with them (with them, not to them).

In making sales, you must first have demand. Be false or artificial, genuine or honest; you must have demand first. It is just like what UMNO is doing with PERKASA and their NGOs in tow, they are trying to create demand again. I mean, you cannot surf if you have no wave right? See, they got that part right and they went that far correctly too. BUT – after that, from this point onwards, they went downhill in errors one after the other. Why? What errors?

Okay, you see; they have successfully created demand, meaning that they have successfully walked up to your door step and knocked on you and then you even took time to open the door and greet them. You even listened to their sales, but then two minutes into it, you slammed the teak door hard on Ibrahim Ali nose.

Let us examine what make you went and did what you did there. But the salesman nose being flat, he got away in mere inches, so don’t worry about that as no animal was harmed in the writing of this blog article. We are SPCA compliance in all 125 nations and member of WWF.

I think that you slammed the door hard on him because what he went and said with the sales got you rebellious…right? See, that has always been the same problem with Salesman A. He’s always speaking far ahead of his own natural comprehension ability and he’s always speaking without making sure that his brain was engaged first before putting his mouth into gear and as a result, he has been on one long losing sales streak ever since.

In human psychology science, when human thinks and reacts it would always be based on two separate polarities; good vs. bad, ying vs. yang, legal vs. illegal, devilish vs. devout and so on (well you get the idea). So, when you want that person to submit to your thinking’s and plans, you would have to cancel out his other opposing side – one that’s contradicting your sales pitch. But you cannot do that for them, they would have to reach in and do it themselves. In what is known as the “Linear Invalidation Progression” Theory, it had been argued that when only one polarity remains in any mental computation after a hard thinking process, then could only the human mind arrive conclusively to a decision making stage. It means that for a sound decision making platform, the mind would have to cancel out one end of the spectrum first.

Going back to our door slamming episode; you slammed the door because you got rebellious, and you got rebellious (even though you are not at all like that!) because the thoughtless “Salesman A” had effectually cancels your “Surrender” section in the counter opposite to your “Rebellious” side. So when you lose surrender, automatically you fight back in rebellion like you normally wouldn’t.

Now we go to “Salesman B”. Salesman B approached the subject with proper aptitude and appearance. First catching on to the “rebellious” side of the potential customer and then Salesman B quickly swings the thinking process into the “surrender” side of things. Before long, the sales (and Lord knows what else) was his to make. No wonder he arrives for the sales in his brand new Mercedes Benz S500; he is good and now even you know it too!

But what would you tell dejected Salesman A? You are District Sales Manager and it is YOUR DUTY to polish and ensure your key sales people perform, or else you answer to the State Sales Manager!

Well, firstly you tell him why the door was slammed on his nose. You want to know why he had that delivered to his sorry face? Well, because he tried to force his values on you. That was the sole reason why. When he was making the sales pitch, Salesman A had almost sealed the deal already. He almost got it good already, but he ended up missing the sales by a mile.

But when he said that in order for you to qualify for the purchase, at the price you like; you must do free commercial stints for us. That consists of allowing us to repaint the exterior portion of your new home in our corporate livery, allowing us to do the same with all your cars in the garage and then allowing us to paint your face with the same livery. And you must live with this for the next 5 years. And he wraps this up with an ultimatum for you: “so that’s the deal, you take or leave it.” He was lucky his nose was already the flat kind; meant for this kind of occasions in life.

Certainly, one’s own cup of tea may not be agreeable with everyone; no matter how good it is for you, it just won’t be good enough for everyone we may sum here.

Now you sent out Salesman A into the market again, you have spoken to him on his strength and courage and you have pointed out where and when some nips and tucking was needed. Out he went and this time he approached the sales target differently. The door opens for him once more and he went into action, and his pitch; “This deal is a straight deal, especially tailored for your good self by our friendly sales department and you just buy what you need, at the price you want and at the terms you’ve dictated upon. I tell you what; you just pay me 10% today and the remainder let’s just put it on interest free financing for a 5 year’s repayment and I’ll even throw in a free hand phone for you…how’s that? Would you buy now?” I tell you what happens next, Salesman A was welcomed inside the house and greeted like a long lost son! By the end of the day, the sale was his solidly with more orders on the card.

The one thing we can all learn from these two salesmen is that; we can never successfully force our values on somebody else no matter how good we think we are! You may try, but be well informed ahead; you risk a severe backlash repercussion from the totally opposite side of the spectrum! If you went in looking for submission, let me tell you that you’d be running out tail between legs on the other side of things! To be able to sell, you would want to make people “surrender” to your pitch. Okay let’s leave these two salesmen.

So what’s wrong with our political scenario today? Well, we have too many clowns doing sales, and that’s what has been wrong all these while. Clowns are best kept only for the entertainments by the ring side. You don’t ask clowns to do your taxes do you?

To make a long story short, let me just say that the time whereby a political party could shove their partisan principles and ethics en-bloc to the voters and hopes to be elected has maybe come to an end. What the past by elections have shown us is that national issues make little impact when super imposed against local relevant issues. For example, I could go on far and deep into a remote village in Sabah and preached non-stop for two hours on corruptions issues that’s being done by UMNO and BN on a central level. The crowd would listen, they would be boiling mad. I could play on that sentiment right there and then, but would it translate to a vote? Let’s just tag that chance at 50/50. Then in came the UMNO and BN machine and they wont even comment on the national corruption issues I peddled because they know as hell that they do not have any credible counter offensive. Then they say; okay, we would tar all your roads, we would give new power generators, we would make new pipes for water supply and guess what; the project starts today! Now, you vote for us and we make sure the project stays online to completion. Now, I ask your educated and non emotional mind frame; who you think they would vote for most likely?

Similarly, in an urban voting suburb; UMNO came in campaigning about all bad and nasty against PAS. The crowds (what ever showed up) would shake their heads in disbelief! But not at disbelieving in PAS as being suggested there, but they are shaking their heads in not believing how low UMNO could really stoop to when being outright desperate. In such a scenario, even if I pour in RM10 instant million into the community (or just promised them 5 million like what Najib did in Sibu), do you think they would still vote BN? Let Sibu answer that for BN and let Bagan Pinang answer that for PAKATAN RAKYAT.

So what works for the villagers may not work for the urbanites, what works for the farmers may not work for the urban bankers and teachers, consequently taking us to a state of jumbled politic. What is that? It means that any and every aspiring politicians must work harder for sales. It means that our voting tendency has matured and we have differentiated our political needs, values and aspirations. It means that no politician can knock on our door and force any sales down our throats like the old days.

I think that politicians in Malaysia need to wake up to the reality of “dotcom politics”. Let me just coin that phrase here: “Dotcom Politics”. Najib think he knows what dotcom politic is; he is happy to settle with just a simple majority really. I say that he should get new advisors; they are forcing a sale on him really, and that’s just no respectable way to earn a sale – any sale! A potential sale has no limitation, only your ability to capture on all ends limits that. I don’t think he really knows what it’s all about.

What is dotcom politics? Dotcom politic is when you effectively understand what the dotcom world has done to the world around you as you know it. To combat your opponent’s sales line is nearly impossible to win on all corners. BUT you may (you as being PAKATAN & BN politicians) utilize this “awakening” that had been inspired by the dotcom political scenario.

What are the “awakenings”? Well mainly you have to deal with the newer voters or you may refer to them as the Gen-Y. Generation Y (I have written in greater detail about this Gen-Y here). Basically Gen-Y is more full-bodied and robust than what Proton had ever accomplished with their Gen2 models. Essentially what you will find in dealing with Generation Y is the impact, which the internet has on their communications and expectations. They grew up with it; they are simpletons but also highly educated, world travelers, speaks English with American/Aussie twirls (signifying their once expat status...you know lah ehh?) and they want to be connected and feel engaged – they are active participant to the world around them! They also want results super quickly at rapid Mbps download and upload speed, they want fast wireless interconnectivity that would be consistent and not drop a line on them. They want issues to be dealt with the “US Freedom of Speech ways”, they have Nelson Mandela walking home in their minds somewhere in his autobiography “The Long Walk Home” and they want equality.

But the Gen-Y, they have their weaknesses too; they might not necessarily have the right experience or skills to deliver what’s expected of them. Look at Facebook, My Space, Blogging, Twitter, MMS, SMS, GPRS and all the other social networking networks which are the results of the intimacy that Generation Y feels to those around them. I mean they want to connect at any cost. The key word here is connectivity. Look at the evolution of the mobile devices inside our pockets now or the one that’s sitting on the table near you now, look at the evolution of the laptop, today all laptop have WiFi and some even IR ports and all of them supports USB internet dongle, all laptop makers have smaller sized netbooks and tablet PC and just look at the WiFi zone around us today! Brief IT interjection here: Next on the card is a 3G SIM-Card enabled notebooks/netbooks that you may also use to make and received calls (via powerful Bluetooth headset or speaker phones) apart from all kinds of data services. It is all about reaching out and connecting, it is all about expansion; expanding their mind and knowledge – in the end it is still about knowledge! Incredible isn’t it?If any of our organization is not able to connect with them at that level, there will be instances of disconnect/dissatisfaction. The challenge for management is to allow or facilitate such connectivity, which would somehow leverage the passion and enthusiasm but not let go of the focus on business and core values of which they stood for.So how do you make them vote for you and your party ideals? Your “Perjuangan yang belum selesai” your “Negara kebajikan”, or your “1Malaysia”?

Well, you don’t. That’s the deal; you don’t. But does that limit your abilities in any ways what so ever? NO, N-O, not at all. They would still vote you in if they understands you better, if they trust you most.

A good salesman sees beyond margins and works his way for a closing. In closing for a deal, if it’s coming close to a stalemate, you would want to apply image-framing to it so that things would move along into the next working stage and thereby effectively secluding that problem spot for a later day amends. Then when you have arrived at the next stage and things seem to be working along, you push for a closing fast. But you have got to be honest throughout all this. That is the one trait in you which you must maintain at any turn of event. If for one second they perceive you to be dishonest, then I’m afraid your sales days are over. I have learned that what ever it is you are selling, what ever it is your scale maybe, you and me, we are just salesmen. How do you close that deal then? Simply by not forcing your values and ideals onto any of them, that’s how you close that deal.

You must and should show earnestly that you acknowledge and then respect their intellectual prowess fully, and by that it means that you do not attempt to force down any of your values into them. You see, that’s where PAS has succeeded and where UMNO had failed. If you look and study on PAS approaches, you may begin to see why PAS has successfully integrates itself among the younger urban professionals. PAS statement on “Negara Kebajikan” is a prime example of image-framing, and a very successful one too if I may add so myself.

PAS knew well that the simpletons just wants to go back to basic and starts again. And so they are giving it to the simpletons, the Gen-Y and the yuppies. Instead of keeping and pushing for an Islamic State slogan, PAS has come to the realization that they would be better off speaking facts in a multi ethnic Malaysia; and that would be a “Negara Kebajikan”. They have good sound-bytes too really.

Below are two slogans that have been spin by the ruling government of the day.

1) 1Malaysia

2) Pencapaian Di Utamakan Rakyat Di Dahulukan

Do you earnestly believe that it’s working? That depends on who you are really. If you are a minister in the present cabinet, you would fiercely says that it’s been working all along fine. If you are one of those bloggers on their pay roll, you would ferociously assert that it is functioning categorically well and then you would even go out to rabidly bite as many as you could on their behalf. If you are a businessman, you would peddle any slogans as long as it pays the profits and rents not to mention the loans. If you are a student, you just peddle it anyway for kicks, what it really is you don’t quite know or care to know. If you are a government servant then you just say it to please the higher administrative gods.

What do I think of 1Malaysia? I think that it is a few alphabets too late and a few lines missing. Firstly, look at UMNO links and affiliations with PERKASA. I am not saying that it is all wrong and bad, I am writing from a neutral perspective. But how can you claim 1Malaysia and then at the same time share a meal with PERKASA? Surely one needs to lose for the other one to make sense here.

And so, it has been a very busy year for Putrajaya diplomacy regarding this issue. All the pro government medias have been peddling a steady mix of 1Malaysia success against the backdrop of PERKASA advancement and you can see how Chua Soi Lek has been working confusingly hard to spread earnest understanding to an issue that even he don’t really understands earnestly.

In my humble opinion, 1Malaysia was not daring enough to succeed. It has good values in it, good basis and good promises. But in the hands of timid politicians looking for wins, it has become near redundant in the real world. Go ask the Gen-Y Chinese and Indians to see what they think of it. You see, from start I have mentioned that race relations in Malaysia needs a brave effort and balancing and harmonizing things out for the next working stage. And that act requires incredible courage and bluntness to achieve. You must readily agree to risk a no-win situation at the next election just as long as your idea works. But politicians, they are just tired aging marathon runners looking for wins at any cost. It’s like pulling a table cloth from underneath a set of really expensive China tea set or even the family heirloom Royal Dalton set; you need focus, you need courage and you need confident to pull that cloth off fast and snappy from right under the sets unperturbed. But politicians can’t really pull that off you know. It is not their fault, it is just who they are and now they have PERKASA breathing down their necks for extra kicks.

They may dream big but in the end they can never find enough political willpower to push those big noble dreams into realities and time waits for no one. I admit, 1Malaysia seemed good at the onset, but became diluted towards midway point and by now bland almost in its entirety.

Pencapaian Di Utamakan Rakyat Di Dahulukan; that may have been fine if they have not started talking and doing the subsidy “rationalization” thing which they went and did already. That would have been fine if PEMANDU never came into being and Ismail Sabri had never posed with AF runner ups while cutting on subsidies. That may have been fine if Mokhzani Mahathir is not one of the 40 richest billionaire in the country and that would have been fine too if TNB and the IPP had readily absorbs more cost instead of trying to appear more black than grey at any cost. It might have worked if the Scorpenes had kept out of the surface. But things are not fine today when they were force to contradict on every alphabet of the lines simply to survive a spending deficit or for a political-ignorance. You see, all they had to do was to just play up the line seriously for three years or so and then call for a general election. Their chances would be brighter and they would be more liked and respected by the masses. But look at the fuel subsidy cuts, look at the TNB tariff escalations and IPP issues, look at sugar prices, look at our household debts issue, and then look at our CPI and debt to income ratio. Protracted protectionism of crony business interest has effectively shot almost all of that to smithereens. You do not have to agree with me here, as this is just my own opinion of the matter.

But if you read or tune into any of the government control media/broadcasting, you may see it through your eyes that all of my above statements are greatly in sacrilege error and I am peddling an opposition agenda. But why not try to look at things rationally and honestly for your own benefits this time. You are losing and you are still dreaming for a 2/3rd majority. Your best would be to fall behind Article 153 and try to push for a “Kerajaan Campuran” after vote counting for a working platform (no doubt saving grace) and existing therein between two administrative channels for the rakyats: 1) Malays, and (2)non-Malays.

PRU14 would deliver a more stable long term working outcome for all of this. PRU13 is just merely a process of “rationalization” (even greater for Sabah and Sarawak) and just a process of “time buying” overall.

But how would our politicians survive the gestation period between PRU13 to PRU14? By being Salesman A and Salesman B. Remember those two guys we left off somewhere back in this writing? Let’s bring them into the picture again here; they are both selling something that you really-really want and need, and at the price you could really afford. You just seemed so pleased that you won’t even want to bargain the price anymore. It’s a deal come true indeed and you just want to close that golden deal!

Off course you are smarter this time and you retort back at them questioning; in order to qualify for the deal, would you be required to paint anything on your house, car or face in the forms of free advertising space for them say for the next five years?

“Goodness, NO!” they both said smiling warmly and compassionately at you. And then continues; “this deal is a straight deal, you just buy what you need, at the price you want and at the terms you’ve dictated upon. Tell you what; you just pay 10% today and the remainder let’s just put it on interest free financing for a 5 year’s repayment…how’s that? Would you buy now?”

Bipartisanship; and that’s where the next sales would be for all of them.

It means that you do not even try to push your party ideals down anyone’s throats in order for you to serve them. It means that we would be seeing less and less of party activities along our political lines and we would also see a major media re-invention that’s coming our way soon enough. Don’t be surprised if Haji Hata Wahari becomes a Datuk and heads Utusan someday, don’t be surprised if Lim Guan Eng becomes a Datuk Seri and champions bipartisan platforms. Don’t be surprised if YB Nurul Izah get’s a Datuk Seri and replace Datuk Seri Shahrizat’s in cabinet someday and don’t be surprised if you find the government lowering pump gas prices by RM0.60 cent per liter on all RON grades someday. Don’t be surprised too if you see YAB Muhyiddin Yasin becomes the Permanent Malaysian Ambassador to The UN and don’t be surprised too if you see plenty of Malays occupying and basking along the French Riviera at any cost.

YB Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad of PAS had raised an interesting thought in bipartisan governing. At least he sees things that way and that far. You see, I may be PKR, PAS or UMNO or even DAP, but that’s my principles and you do not have to submit into any of that to get me to work for you as MP or Wakil Rakyat. Here’s the deal; I would peddle my own private manifesto and agendas of what I would like to deliver for you; things such as tax reform, lower medical cost, and automotive protectionism overhaul (those were just loose examples really), and if you like it, you vote for me. And after that, if elected to post, I shall push on all of my manifestos and reforms as needed. I would be your voice in representation be it at state or federal level. I am not going to be yes man to the PM as he too would need to find individual strength away from old school claustrophobic partisan politics. You DO NOT have to submit into my partisan beliefs in order for me to work for you just like I would any other – as your single vote, sure do counts big time for me. What it’s doing to all of us is making each and every one of us counts in no small ways. What’s mine is mine to keep, and what’s yours is yours to keep; but we could still work together for a solution. We unite under ideals for betterment of living conditions and standards instead of just swallowing wholesome the partisan BS as we all do now. That would also put an end to slogan-theoretic politics.

In passing for a Bill in Parliament, I may just resort to a bipartisan effort as long as it serves my constituents and election manifesto. So you see, I am friend to all and I don’t need an enemy to make my point heard really. We could all be friends if we choses too.

I think that all of our politics post PRU13 would be a lot different, quite unlike from what we have been accustomed to for the past 54 years. For one, we would be moving away from the traditional “BN Parliament Whip” domicile. It used to be when BN had 2/3rd Parliament majority, most MPs would tow the partisan line adherently or risk fury of their political gods.In the past, Bills don’t really have to be rushed through and some glib MPs who could “talk, chatter, natters” would just be there for that sole reason only: to talk. They don’t really have to know what they are talking about, but they would talk anyway. Basically, these few select specialist MPs have the masterful technique of artfully intertwining facts and goofs into a three hours non-stop stand up speech. Maybe it was through these kinds of Parliament sessions, where the world got their first peeks at stand-up comics. Essentially just fly time out the window so that the other side won’t have enough time for any new motion tabling all the way till adjournment gets called and passed by the Speaker.Indeed, being elected MP in the ruling coalition was almost a 5 years fully paid for honeymoon phase right after the tough campaigning for many. Projects, tenders bids, systematized corruptions, an extra pair (or two, or even three) of stilettos and VVIP privileges were all package deals for the “chosen few” powerful parliamentary elite.Nevertheless in 2008, when BN lost its 2/3rd majority, and having to work very hard at adjusting itself into the new business, we are witnessing quite a new breed of ruling MPs who argues and sweat things out along with their expensive tailored suits in Parliament in great rush. They know now that the rakyats is way far ahead of them already and by now, they are sweating through things and praying real hard for a return to power post PRU13.But I also believe that post PRU13 is a period where we shall perhaps witness a more aggressive and drastic approach into this new political routine. I consider that at best, the election result would take all of us into a state of non-partisan coalition government that would be enjoined further by loose independents, newer cartels made up of power brokers and maybe too some turn-coats MPs. After oath of office, these groups of people would also move about with a set of “advisors”; advisors who are paid for by the government for their official roles as MP aide-de-camp. There would be no real “whip executive power” to govern these MPs anymore and due to this fact, they shall roam the parliament free from allegiance to anyone but themselves and their backers; a fertile ground for corruptions.These advisors to the MPs, the MPs aide-de-camp would in turn become the real power brokers in the new government. How? Well they would have links to foreign interest groups and they would have access to funds made available to them though third parties heavyweights; funds which the MP (their bosses) would depend upon heavily for political survival. Like was written earlier, by now there would no longer be an effective whip in Parliament to keep things in check and to prevent this from happening.There would be a lot of “lobbyist” working the Parliament floor; some professionals, some novices and some perishables and some downright dangerous. As with a democracy, the presiding PM (who ever he or she may be) would still have to call for votes to get Bills passed and he would still have to go to the floor for that majority mandate from the MPs in order to pass a Bill. But with no clear 2/3rd parliament majority and merely governing on a loose coalition over the leftist, the PM would have his or her job cut out already. Over 80% of his/her energy and focus would be spent with lobbyist and power brokers. State administrations at the federal level would be neglected and eventually, these states shall begin to pursue their own cause with their own lobbyist at getting more autonomous rights over their respective state affairs and revenues. Decentralization of Federal Administrative power over State Government affairs would begin and the process shall culminate into a weaker PM’s role in the country’s governance.The PM cannot anymore rely on partisan vote-assurance by the whip as had been enjoyed by all BN government prior to PRU12. He would have to consistently know his strength and his incoming lost votes. His aides would have to actively comb their backyards for updates on MP status: who would vote with the PM and who would vote against the PM or abstain. Not that simple anymore. How do you keep your votes then? Well I believe with money and projects; and it shall take all of them into a new level of corruptions. Then there would also be other silent third party heavyweights waiting in transit lounge somewhere eagerly biting their boarding passes for a landing in Malaysia. These groups could be foreign GLC, foreign multi national corporations or even simply just hedge fund players. The lobbyist would get their cues or “issues” from their silent heavyweights and convert those objectives into “Bills” for the political aide-de-camp, who would then recommend these Bills to their bosses.Post PRU13, when the PM needs to pass a Bill, all the PM aides would have to comb the floor and play out all relevant issues that would sell and bite on the particular Bill. Then the aides among the aides would sit down and talk things out before taking things back to their respective bosses; the MPs for “references”. Then the aides would get in touch with their lobbyist networks and then the lobbyist would re-negotiate with the silent third parties heavyweights.Then they tell their respective bosses (the MPs) to vote for that particular bill and the PM may now safely table the motion and he or she won’t end up looking like a lame duck PM as it would definitely pass. The aides would then demo-graph on latest voting trend charts on their Blackberry’s and netbooks for their respective bosses to keep power in hold and check – and everyone is happy. It would no longer so much be conscience that dictates right over wrong or vise versa, but it would be the words and string-pulling of lobbyist as legitimacy.We may also no longer have the traditional “Ruling and Opposition” camp in Parliament anymore; we may shift into “Right and Left Wings” politics just like in The UK, Australia and The USA. Trade unions, workers union, teachers union, consumers union, NGOs shall be used as leverage tools to get pressure of not getting votes.The bipartisan politic of Malaysia post PRU13 shall somewhat define us into the future. Whether we make or break as a nation is far beyond the simplistic arguments we enjoy today over matters of religion, race, subsidies and slogans – all of which, we have been made to just simply react to the various issues over all the miles and time to here anyway. We have to climb above all this and see things in one clear straight view. This new breed of politics would either make us or break us. You see, if we fail to master it, then it shall be the master of us and be rest assured that major agendas shall remain stagnant and languish away in a stalemate rot down. Issues like going nuclear, medical reforms, education reforms, and similar impacting issues must be pushed ahead on a bipartisan stand and see passage through for the sake of the nation. So it would somehow teach all of us the sophisticated art of seasoned political compromises and conciliations. Inadvertently, that would prepare us for a better unification post PRU14.The PM ruling coalition may be weaker in the stages of post PRU13, and none may clearly be the power maker among all of them. But for those who champion his or her cause towards their respective constituents, shall be the real power maker. In such a setting, finally the rakyats voices shall be louder and loudest in all 54 years of our political existence. In the final analysis, the fence sitters are not the expected “third-force”; but in a bipartisan platform, every one of us is that defining “third force”.

So far all we could see is a country that is very hard at work laying foundations for another re-colonization and the economic enslavement of its citizens; not by foreign powers as being widely peddled, but by cronies of the rulings. They can never think out of the box anymore because it is too complicated for them. They have been players at the same game on the same field for too long and they could only think of ways to stay in power (as they know that life would be awfully very hard otherwise), but without fully acknowledging its implications to a nation; they know of no other ways, and I’m terribly afraid if they do not phase themselves out of this frame, the frame would generally be of little or no value to the nation. Any good leader would need to have a strong economy for the nation, but there would also come to a point of cost and loses for the undertaking and on some days you just have to draw the lines over things with them.Tomorrow is here now; and guess what? You are today who you were yesterday. You may want to re-brand and re-slogan yourselves; but we would still discern every one of you anyway. But all is not lost; just work hard at delivering your best as an elected politician instead of pleasing your partisan gods and you shall be just fine in the new political stage. Gerrymandering may deliver the numbers, but it won’t quite necessarily hold the power for you anymore. So play clean and win clean this time. You say you need to transform to stay relevant? Well, walk the talk now.This amateur analysis of mine has no fixed time-line to it, it has no past, no extant but it has deep presence into the future. Live by it and tomorrow shall reward you exceptionally well indeed. The nation have had enough with partisan politics that’s being shoved down our throats, it is time we re-invent into a bipartisan existence into the next level. It is time we end a state of economic enslavement of its citizens; not by foreign powers but by cronies of the old rulings. Things that are beyond our controls are taking us all out to a new frontier land. If in the past one must submit into UMNO old school principles to see governing actions, it may no longer be the case now. The voters have matured, all the baby boomers, the Gen-Y and the in between have all grown up and out of the old expectations. Today all of them wants betterment and quality living. They don’t care about 1Malaysia or Keris wielding mad Ibrahim Ali, they don’t care about Negara Islam just yet, they don’t care about DAP’s Malaysia’s Malaysia either (they know that under Article 153, DAP donkey pile wont work in this here land under King and Parliament). They want better deals at living in this country, at making a living in this country and they want to be appreciated to the maximum for all their contributions in moving this nation into global mainstream. People simply want better deals.

UMNO is still wielding their Keris, PERKASA is still having theoretic Ibrahim Ali brandishing a Keris in a Malay headgear for Kodak moments telling Malays to stand up to something (what?), PKR is being kept busy defending what appears to be almost personal attacks now (designed for such in the hopes that it would steal away PKR agenda of nation-building into personal defenses).

PAS knows that Article 4 has defined their Negara Islam agenda solid and well already. This is as best as it gets; and living under King and Constitution is our best way forward, and this is an area that PAS would eventually capitalize over UMNO of past, of present and of future. We know that voting for PAS won’t take us to heaven; that department is not ours to decide and dictates upon. But saving this nation and building a better tomorrow is for all of us to achieve and deliver upon.

What it comes down to is about being very hands-on, being very frank and representative; it is about winning trust. It is not about finding the weaknesses of others to capitalize on but it is about working for a solution that would in the end benefit everyone. Maybe UMNO politicians may still see politic as a tool to more power, power to shape, dictate and save. But for the average simpletons of Malaysia, we see politic as a tool for nation building, to improve on our quality of lives and for a better hopes at tomorrow for our kids and grand kids someday. That’s what we are trying to educate all of you into. Your brand of politics is still divide and control, but that has got to change. PRU12 gave you a glimpse of that and a chance to change. PRU13 shall see that changes and PRU14 is living those changes. Missing on either one cue, would throw you out into the dirt at the next bend. Lee Kuan Yew knows this better today than any one of us here.

So who is peddling what’s expected by all the baby boomers, the Gen-Y and the in between? Who has the closest catchphrase and "sound-bytes" for this?

“Mirror, mirror on the wall who’s the closest of them all?”

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