By TK Chua

I refer to the article “Bungalow blow up: Time to call a spade a spade” written by Fa Abdul. Sure a rose by any name would smell good and garbage by any moniker would stink. Corruption is corruption, it does matter who or the amount involved.

All politicians, ruling or opposition, are expected to behave. If they are found guilty, they should face the consequences.

Our country today is faced with many challenges – corruption and abuse of power mainly. Roses and garbage aside, I think it is also time for us to look at the forest, not just the trees.

I think it is inaccurate or even sweeping to claim that people are generally more forgiving when opposition politicians are embroiled in scandals or corruption. They may allow opposition politicians a bigger leeway to explain themselves, but that does not mean they are forgiving. The logic is simple: most want “fair fight”.

It is never easy to be opposition politicians. In my opinion, it is even harder to be corrupt opposition politicians. So far those who rallied around opposition politicians being accused of corruption have never demanded that corruption be tolerated or forgiven. They have only asked for proper investigation to find the truth, despite whatever misgivings (real or imagine) they may have about the investigating authorities.

It is not accurate to say that people are blind supporters based on superficial information they gleaned from the news media. If this is the case, may I know what privileged information did Fa have to say that others are ignorant or blind? We live in this country: we know the comings and goings of events every day. We need to be more circumspect before labelling others as ignorant or superficial.

The DAP has members who have openly asked at the party congress for non-Penangites to replace Lim Guan Eng as the Chief Minister. DAP also has its own state assemblyman wanting to table a motion in the Penang state assembly asking for a term limit on the CM when no such limit exists anywhere in the country.

No one is saying opposition politicians are incapable of doing wrong. But how do the people censure their leaders when nothing has been proven? Surely it is not difficult to prove the guilt of an opposition politician if he is truly corrupt or has abused his power. Please don’t get excited, just be patient and wait.

When supporters close ranks and defend their leaders, it is not to endorse lack of accountability or malfeasance as claimed. To say so is to put the cart ahead of the horse. You are accusing and judging when nothing has been proven. Has it ever occurred to you that opposition supporters are rallying against potential false accusations, machination and intrigue?

I could have said more, but out of my own hypocrisy and fear, I better stop here.

Bungalow blow up: Time to call a spade a spade

‘Taman Manggis a RM59m controversy,’ minister claims

MCA queries CM’s ‘unusual’ relationship with house owner, partner

Penang says ‘no’ to term limit on CM

Limiting tenure of officials is the way to go

T.K. Chua is an FMT reader.

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