We must send the most capable people into the parliament to ensure the country’s future prosperity.

A nationwide poll jointly conducted by Sin Chew Daily with four other local media organizations and three research institutions from September 19 through October 9 shows that most of the over 5,000 respondents feel they are most concerned about the issue of livelihood, followed by education, political stability, ringgit exchange rate, national debts and corruption.

In a simple sentence to epitomize what most Malaysians have expected from their leaders: They want a comfortable life assured by political stability with a clean government that will provide fair education opportunities for their children.

This is indeed what everyone has longed for, something no political parties or alliances should overlook.

Last week, 29 local NGOs and religious bodies claiming to represent some five million people in this country voiced out their eight appeals to the contesting parties in the 15th general election, among them political leaders must uphold the Federal Constitution and respect the rule of law, as well as separation of powers for the three branches of government, namely executive, judiciary and legislature.

Besides, the group also demanded clean and fair election and harness the best talents from all walks of life.

Indeed, if the government have run the country based on meritocracy, the “public demands” expressed by the survey respondents would have been fulfilled long ago.

It is hoped that in the election war that is about to break out, other than hitting out harshly at their rivals, perhaps the candidates should also tell the voters what they are going to do for the people if they are elected, and how many of the pledges made will get fulfilled eventually.

We want to look ahead towards the future, not looking back!

John F. Kennedy famously said this in his inauguration speech on January 20, 1961: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

By right this should become the “motto” of every political leader after him, it nevertheless sounds discordant 61 years later here in Malaysia.

Politicians given the mandate to run this country should as-a-matter-of-factly prioritize the service for their constituents, not to dodge their responsibilities. As such, we really hope the leaders of this country will really do something for the rakyat.

We will head to the polling stations in 20 days’ time. The several changes of federal administrations since 2018 have opened our eyes as to which among the PM candidates of Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional is reliable and credible, and whether the elected reps we picked four years ago in our respective constituencies have performed up to the mark.

The four or five years leading to the next general election is pretty long, and as such, we need to be very careful before dropping the ballot paper into the box.

And since it is utterly important to choose the right people who will dutifully serve their constituents and the nation, candidates who lack professional skills, morality, credibility, as well as religious bigots and racists, must be decisively dumped.

In view of this, we should vote for the best candidate and not a particular party that we favor because there are always good and bad people in any political party. We must send the most capable people into the parliament to ensure the country’s future prosperity.

Voting is the duty of every citizen of Malaysia. The above poll shows that Malaysians are most concerned about the issues of economy, livelihood and education, while political stability and intercommunity harmony are what they desire most.

No thanks to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, economic sanctions, Federal Reserve rate hikes, ringgit devaluation, the spiraling inflation and others, the low- and middle-income households have felt the pinch,with the prospect not any brighter next year.

Consequently, it is hoped that the government elected in the upcoming election will take the country forward in tackling the challenges ahead and delivering us out of the current doldrums!