Voting Along Party Lines vs Voting Along Your Conscience

Datuk Shahrir Samad's motion got an AYE with 129 voting for and 78 voting against it. This vote also reflects a vote of confidence on the Prime Minister (as well as the Government) when the BN won with the difference of 51 votes. After all the hue and cry on whether Sabah and Sarawak MPs will vote against the motion as a result of SAPP's threat on the vote of confidence motion.

But what I am more surprise is how are MPs are to vote. This is a dilemma especially by BN MPs. Should they vote against the motion, they will be subjected to Party Whips and will be disciplined like how school discipline teacher will act with a whip. In our history of events in Parliament maverick MPs are either suspended or forgiven, depending on time and space. Some were forgiven like Bung Mokhtar, some resigned from their position like Datuk Shahrir or some got suspended like 'you know who' all because of voting against the party.

Love or hate the motion, vote according to your party's instruction. Do you have a choice? Nope, not at all. Of course Party Whip will say "spirit of Barisan Nasional". Now I wonder, what spirit are we talking about? Maybe I should ask, what ghost is the Party Whip talking about? I find it hard to chew . Especially when motions such as allowing a price increase that affects day to day consumption like petrol, food and papers and what-have-you.

Everybody I have spoken to is suffering. Today, I met almost 9 people in my office and all told me that they cannot stand any longer. The increased is almost everything all started with the increase in petrol prices to RM2.70. As a result of that Malaysians all over facing a domino effect. You and I will see food increased such as rice. Developers will increased on their house prices by 30%. Raw materials such as aluminium and iron will definitely faced a sharp increased. Transportation is definitely. Grocery items are coming up for sure, that includes rice, eggs, flour.

My office boy is asking for an increase....
Crime will shoot up....and that is definite. And these MPs (not asking our consent) supporting the price increase!

What does our conscience says?

Honestly I am still not ready since the 1998 economic crisis. And I believe everybody shares the same view as I am. Is Malaysian ready? But what the government says, CHANGE LIFESTYLE.

But for heaven sake, will the country be ready for change? I think the government is just started thinking about having good public transportation or Hybrid cars or Cars using gas or whatever why not increase local ventures such as local food product to increase our revenue instead of relying on imports. I thought we are oil producers and I always thought that we are rich. Look at our land rich in agricultural products. This is God's gift to us.

Simply put, we just have bad and hopeless managers managing and administering our country.

We pay taxes and this is what we got. How sad.