GE13: BN preying on dark side of human nature

Another reflection written by a good friend of mine.

From darkness to the light

A simple analysis of the contents of the elections campaign and its strategies especially by Barisan Nasional has left much to be desired. In fact it can give any normal human person the creeps and metaphorically speaking, it seems like a open invitation to hell.

The campaign which is supposed to further elaborate and present in the most creative forms the principles, manifestos, vision and mission of the parties and individual candidates is nothing but a vehement appeal to the darker side of the human person.

…Cash handouts, free vouchers, free meals coupled with free entertainment and the further promise of more cash seem to set the tone for the BN campaign. This is to entice the rakyat into supporting them of course but this appeals to greed.

…The constant reference to May 13, and the threat of violence and unrest erupting if the BN do not have power appeals to fear.

…The continued stress on Malay supremacy appeals to racism, prejudice and discrimination.

…Pitting Muslims against Christians and the constant alluding to the threat of Christianity appeals to religious bigotry.

…The BN in campaigning on various issues only seems to appeal to the insecurities and vulnerabilities of the people.

These seem to take the centre-stage for the BN thrust to retain power. There is hardly anything that appeals to the goodness, maturity, intelligence, compassion and integrity of the people. There is nothing encouraging about the message of the BN. They are not campaigning on their merits but preying on the dark and dreary side of human limitation, thus counting on human failure for their success.

By doing so the BN has virtually no respect for the people, since it has no respect for the human person. Its strategies reek of human destruction, bent on breaking rather than building society. When there is no respect for the human person, there is no regard for human dignity and when there is no regard for human dignity, there is no regard for human rights. When there is no regard for human rights there is no social justice.

Social justice is the foundation for a healthy, just and harmonious society. A society characterised by the belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, economic and social life is possible if we decide on the right persons to be our leaders. Our criteria to choose must be those who can genuinely empower us and constantly appeal to our brighter side, to our goodness and to create a society where every person lives out his/her fullest potential.