Merdeka is around the corner but it seems like the nation is somewhat under-hyped about it. Gone are the flags that you normally see around and even here in Cyberjaya, there is little decoration to signify our 51st year of independance.
I've a feeling the general populace are somewhat jaded over the senseless politics from both sides of the playing field. The stuggle for staying in power has overtaken the desire to work for betterment of the people. It is sad but it does seem the current political system is similiar to being between the devil and the deep blue sea.
I also realize that you no longer hear the idealistic Wawasan 2020 slogan being muttered... and the Malaysia Boleh slogan has become a parody of the nation's spirit. The words no longer have the same encouraging effect it did when it was first worded.
I still await the day when race, religion, and sex will no longer be a determining factors in the nation's policies and the country adopts a new nationalistic identity, one where everyone is refered to as Malaysian. I guess there is still hope yet.
Well,... I'm just glad its a day off. Merdeka!...
Election is not far away and already the disease of flagitis has spread and infected the neighbourhoods. I never did and never will understand the need for the millions of flags portraying party loyalties and posters of candidates littering the nation. I honestly feel all parties should be banned from hanging up their rubbish and inconveniencing society. There are better ways of doing it.
Instead of a 10,000 small flags, why not just a few big ones? I understand these flags are a boon for printing houses everywhere but isn't it a massive waste? You spend millions on an ineffective campaign method and in return, you don't really help anyone. You have flagpoles falling down on roads, strings of flags obstructing the view of drivers, flags falling down all over the place and making an outright mess of the place. Even the ACT of hanging up flags is reason enough for violence in opposing parties.
How many times must you see a candidates face before it sticks in your mind like diseased blutack. How long until you start to despise the face you see daily, grinning all around, hanging from trees and signboards. How long until I snap and whip out my pair of industrial scissors and go on a flag butchering rampage?...
Another stupid thing is, these forms of branding actually cancel themselves out. They love (or have to) hang opposing parties' flags around each other. It is like some sort of pattern, Barisan, Opposition, Barisan, Opposition, Barisan, Opposition... Anyone that actually votes based on the number of flags they see has got to be majorly irresponsible or a plain doofus.
What is worse, candidates are normally quite ugly (to be blunt). I've seen some with pretty doofy faces not realizing that these posters are counter-productive for them. I feel for most candidates, they should let their deeds do the talking cos the face really isn't helping much.