Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.
Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
Remember what Walski said in his post early this year, about wanting to post more, better time management, etc.?
Well, while he didn’t outright lie about his intentions at that point, time had other ideas. And what Walski had intended didn’t come to pass. On that count, Walski apologizes. Profusely.
The reality, though, is that what’s happening in Malaysia today – and how it gets reported in the news and on social media – means that there are too many issues and too much stuff going on to comment on every single thing that irks him. Unless he’s willing to be stuck behind the computer screen indefinitely, which he doesn’t.
To summarize 2023 thus far, Malaysian Islamists seem to be winning the narrative game. And it doesn’t help that the government seems to be bending – or at least acquiescing – to what they want. Granted, PM X has Islamic (and some argue Islamist) credentials. But is the current governmental stance going to help in the long run?
Flashback some 3-plus decades past: Dr. M the then PM, as a response to PAS’s growing influence opened the Islamist floodgates by making the government more “Islamic”, albeit in a moderate manner. Walski won’t rehash what’s transpired since, but the moral of the story: once the Islamic genie has been unleashed from its bottle, there’s no way to rein it back in.
When it comes to the current government, Walski can think of two possible thinking modes why the strategy is what it is: one, being friendly with the Islamists and acquiescing to what they want is to prevent losing in the upcoming state elections; or two, the idea that the Madani government can manage it better than Dr. M.
That’s Walski’s guess anyway.
On other fronts, UMNO wants Najib to be pardoned, and UMNO’s president (who’s also Deputy PM) wants the charges against him dropped.
It is Walski’s ardent hope that neither comes to pass.
And that’s all he can do – hope.
Because if there’s one thing Walski’s realized and come to terms with after all these years: just like time, citizen empowerment in Malaysia is an illusion. There may be the occasional small wins, but almost negligible compared to the major losses that have come in tandem. About the only saving grace: the current government is serious about institutional reforms.
Whether or not it will be allowed to realize those reforms, without too much compromise (that would make those ‘reforms’ pointless), is left to be seen.
In any case, Walski really wanted to post more here since the aforementioned January post, but had to give in to other more pressing matters. There’s only so much headspace in his advancing years, and priorities had to be made.
The ugly truth is that keeping this blog alive with content (that folks wanna read) has become a chore. And frankly, compared to the other stuff he has to do, myAsylum is of low priority. Walski realizes that he doesn’t have the luxury of time like he used to, particularly since with every passing day time is slowly but surely running out.
Be that as it may, Walski will return once in a while to populate this blog with his thoughts. Hopefully thoughts that matter and not simply barking like a rabid dog against a deluge he cannot stop, and for a cause that is, for all practical purposes, lost.
And that lost cause? Malaysia.
Walski, on this tenth day of April 2023 is one dejected son of a bitch… and that, dear reader, is the honest truth.
But he sincerely hopes you’re having a better day. And an even better tomorrow.
p.s. – before Walski forgets, his real-world alter ego decided to start writing on Substack recently. While there’s nothing much of interest posted there – yet – Walski thought you might be interested to know. Reportedly, it is supposed to be less ranty. Good luck with that…
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