After the dust settles in a debate between Khairy and Rafizi on the issues of PTPTN, perhaps now is the time for one to lament on the outcome of the debate and what this will lead to the future of politics in our country. After all the hype and anticipation, I for one would like to know the general public's perception on the debate itself.
As for me, I have my own reasons of following the debate itself. I've always admired the speaking and arguing abilities of Khairy in the past, although I may have some comments in his methods in politics in the past but nevertheless, the man knows his stuff and he knows how to bring it out to his speeches. And of course Rafizi, who has been a legend among debaters in my school ever since he left and until today, people in MCKK still speaks of his ability in debating in both English and in Bahasa.
Part of me also follows the debate because I love the world of debating. I've been in the scene since back in 1997 and ever since that I hung my boots (or debating text) back in 2007, I sorely miss the feeling of being on stage and doing what I do. I admit I was a debating freak and I was good at it.
[Last time I was in action back in 2007]
Honestly, as for my opinion of the outcome of the debates itself, I couldn't care less of who was the better speaker as I may be accused of making a biased statement on this matter. But more importantly than that, this now ushers in a possibility of a new era within Malaysian politics.
an era where people argue in sense of logic, rather than emotional shouting with no sense whatsoever
[Bigot who would not listen to any other arguments but herself]
For so many years, I am sick of listening to people out in the streets, talking without a clue what exactly are they shouting and screaming about. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that too many occasions we have seen scenes of people not even wanting to listen to the arguments of other people and in the end resort to hooliganism and racist remarks without even thinking what they are doing or saying. For far too long, I am sick of seeing Malaysians portraying ourselves as uneducated, disrespectful and emotional morons. This would reflect not just to supporters of one party but it is evident in both side of the fences.
But now perhaps we have a chance to change things around.
With more and more emergence of debates between politicians, it finally gives a platform for us to actually let the politicians explain LOGICALLY and in the same time listen with a level of maturity to really understand what is happening with Malaysian politics from both side of the coin, rather than influenced by what was said or gossiped from a source that we don't even know the origins of it from.
The problem that we have been having before this so far is that we would never take the time to sit, listen and understand the arguments of another person before making our own judgement and act accordingly. Regardless whether it is because its hard for us to bring ourselves to listen, whether it is in our culture to no longer accept the ideas of others when we are convinced with our own arguments, or maybe we are just too plain lazy to listen anymore.
I remembered a quote from a man whose book I truly adore:
"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"
- Habit #5, Stephen Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People)-
Come at least with debates like this, people are forced to listen and understand the story from both sides before making judgement for themselves based on what they have heard. So many times that I hear a lot of people saying that their feelings are not understood and there is no-one up in the government level would want to listen to their woes. Problem is, do they even bother to take the effort to understand first?
I would say to people that if it is political maturity that we seek in Malaysia, stop making hurtful and racist comments anonymously, resorting to hooligan or rempit attitude in public and try to bring up your arguments one-on-one in a debate. Discuss and argue your issues logically and revert back to what is said against your argument.
Kudos to Khairy and Rafizi for opening the eyes to Malaysian and the global public that we too can argue on politics rationally and logically. I surely hope there would be more intellectual debates among politicians. no more of these name calling speeches and defamatory states in the public. We have had enough.
check out more posts like this under Lets Get Political
Nang this post if you like it guys! Thanks!
Follow the TehTarik way
0 comments:
Post a Comment