"The ballot box is neutral"

"The ballot box is neutral"
Tunku Abdul Aziz
NST - 16 March 2008

The fact that many have waited some 50 years, patiently in hope and faith, to witness and welcome the orderly change in the political landscape brought about by the "neutral power" of the ballot box and not, mercifully, the barrel of a gun (as happens so regularly in many so-called democratic republics around the world) has made the waiting game all the more rewarding.

Fifty years of political domination, although legitimised and sanctified by the electoral process, has led inevitably to the development of decidedly unhealthy, careless attitudes on the part of the government as well as society at large.

It was only months before that fateful day of March 8 that Malaysians decided that they had it within their power to decide the future direction of their country in social, economic and political terms by the simple expedient of using democracy's most potent gift -- the vote.

Overnight, we have transformed ourselves from being a nation of whingers and whiners into mature, responsible citizens exercising our rights and responsibilities, to decide what is good for us and our country.

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