Audacious Rescue Plan

I read from the newspapers that electricity charges have come down and the credit card companies are also reducing interest rates and late penalty charges. Even the NPE toll collection at PJS2 is going to be abolished on Valentine's Day. Looks like they agree partially with some of my proposals a few days ago but i am afraid the steps taken are not sufficient. Just this morning i had a man waking me from my sleep, begging me to settle a matter for him as he needed the money as his creditors were after his car and his house. This is very strange behaviour from a plaintiff. He said that while he was talking to me on the phone, he was on his knees holding my legs and begging. He said that i was his God now. I felt sorry for him as he sounded like a man in dire straits.. he swallowed all his pride to plead for assistance. I had to talk to my client who is the defendant and persuaded him to reach a settlement matter on an urgent basis - 'must settle by today basis'- and we managed to settle the matter in a win-win situation - RM5000 to be paid by my client to him today. The matter had to be settled even though i am confined in my home because of sickness. I can foresee more depressing scenarios than the one i faced in the morning in the coming months. And i really fear for the ordinary people. Is there a rescue plan?

Acts 4:32 of the Bible says:- "The group of believers was one in mind and heart. None of them said that their belongings were their own but they all shared with one another everything they had...There was no one in the group who was in need. Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, and turn it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed according to the needs of the people'.

If there is a rescue plan for the global economic crises facing Malaysia (or even the world today), the above must be it. All we need is a government or should i say, leaders, with the conviction, compassion and courage to implement it, like the apostles did. We are one people of Malaysia. We should forget all our petty differences - enough or politicking and by elections - forgive, then come together with one mind and heart as we face a colossal common enemy- the global economic crisis. The government should not act as if the enemy does not exist or underestimate it's threat. A clerk of a lawyer friend of mine in Pandan Indah was robbed yesterday and is in the hospital now. My dad was robbed of his bicycle the other day. I get emails from friends everyday telling me about all kinds of crime being committed these days. Crime rates will rise when people get desparate and lose their minds. Families will also break up. There will be compounded anxiety, insecurity, intolerance and anger.

Any citizen or leader who does not agree to the above rescue plan should be labelled a traitor to the people and be treated as an outcast of society- an enemy of the state. There should be one goal - to ensure that no citizen in this country is in need during this calamitous times. The government should come out with large funds, just like what the Americans are doing, the rich and powerful should in a spirit of goodwill, sell surpluss assets, the ordinary and mediocre should contribute a percentage of their income, the poor can also contribute whatever they can - for all can contribute something according to their means and ability- and the funds and services accumulated and put into the rescue package fund to be distributed responsibly according to the needs of the people. The goverment, banks, finance companies, utilities company, credit card companies, employers who have provided the 'umbrellas' for the people should act like i have proposed to provide an atmosphere of compassion, caring and bonding. When it is raining the people need the umbrella more. The umbrella should not be taken away during a heavy downpour. 'Breathing space' should be given. Peace of mind infused into all. What the country needs now more than anything else is compassion and loving kindness. With these qualities, we can overcome any crisis. The crisis is here and it poses questions:- how united are we as a nation after 51 years of independence? How compassionate are we as a nation? How courageous, how strong, how steadfast are we as a people? We have many different faiths and creeds in this country but do we practice what we preach? Do we just prefer to listen to sermons rather than act? How deeply entrenched are our moral/ethical values? Enough of anything that divides, More of anything that unites. And nothing unites better than Love, Selflessness, Sacrifice. I do not think that any country has ever implemented the above rescue plan on a national level in all history. I audaciously hope that we can. I know we can if we just have the right leaders and government.

27 years ago during the 1982 World Cup, we desparately wanted to watch the football matches live but the TV stations did not enough money to pay for the live telecasts. How poor we were then..Then someone came up with a simple plan- to raise funds via the Malay Mail so that we could watch live football matches. Malaysians from all over the country donated towards that fund and we ended up i think watching most of the matches live. That was an unprecendented, astounding success and i don't think we ever missed any live World Cup football match after that. It just shows how unity and solidarity can bring success and happiness to all involved in the process. Something greater is needed of all Malaysians now. We keep on saying - Malaysia Boleh. Yes I believe we can but let it be for the true, the right, the good and the lovely things in life. Let us have the courage to implement the audacious rescue plan and make history.