THE last few governments perpetrated the myth that save for a few hiccups here and there, everything is fine in this country. They said foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country increased. They said the country is on track to achieve positive growth in the economy.

The reality on the ground is, however, different. Income inequality has deteriorated over the last couple of decades. The incomes of top earners have risen sharply, while median income has stagnated. 

The rakyat who used to be able to move up the social ladder are now having a harder time doing so.

Globalisation has generated intense competition across the world and Malaysia is affected both directly and indirectly. 

In today’s economy and in the foreseeable future, the companies that turn out the best products at the lowest cost are the winners. Any country that can adapt to this will see a rise in the living standards of their people as their economy becomes productive.

As for Malaysia, it is terrible news, as our politicians and leaders stopped learning. There is a large section of the rakyat that continues to support politicians who stole from the country’s coffers. 

That’s why Amazon, Facebook and Google bypassed Malaysia. This excludes the multinationals that have closed or wound up their operations in the country as our neighbours inch up the ratings in every aspect making it attractive for these multinationals to relocate their operations to these countries. Our politicians and leaders simply didn’t adapt.

Not one politician in the country is honest. The government keeps repeating that they can somehow protect workers from becoming obsolete. That’s a dangerous message to send. They fund limited safety-net programs and help people transition from the old to the new, yet they can’t protect workers from normal market forces.

That’s the truth and it won’t change no matter who gets elected in the 15th or 16th General Election (GE).

A large section of the rakyat is dependent on the government as evident from the continuous pressure by politicians, both ruling and in the opposition, asking the government to allow contributors to do one more withdrawal of up to RM10,000 from their savings with EPF when the fund itself confirmed in September 2021 that an astonishing 46% of their members below the age of 55 have less than RM10,000 in their account with half this number having less than RM1,000 in their savings. 

This will potentially be extremely challenging for approximately 3.5 million members of EPF to build up sufficient savings or reach the basic savings threshold of RM240,000 at age 55, before reaching their retirement age.

Once those members have used up this withdrawal of up to RM10,000 from their EPF accounts, they would have nowhere to turn to except to the government. Already, the country is running out of money, a fact previously mentioned by the 8th prime minister. Already the government is demanding more from the rakyat in the guise of various taxes and new monopolies while giving less in terms of services and subsidies. That’s simple math.

The ruling coalition and their supporters are more interested in the return to the good old days where they can continue with their plunder of the country’s resources unhindered and unabated. 

The opposition remains stuck in the cocoon of one man’s dream who has been unable to shake off and understand why he was repeatedly betrayed by those claiming to be close to him. All their promises of reforms and setting the country back on its path of proper governance were easily forgotten and seldom mentioned again.

The promise of greater youth participation in the Johor elections after the passing of the Undi 18 vote was nothing but hot air that whiffed through our noses. 

Moving forward, the Millennials and Gen Z’s in this country are unlikely to witness and experienced a better future for themselves as economic conditions in the country are not likely to improve where mainstream parties seem at a loss in how to turn things around. New political parties supposedly representing the youths in Malaysia create themselves in the image of the older established political parties in their outlook and policies. 

Instead of looking ahead to a world of opportunities, Millennials and the Gen Z now peer into an uncertain future, inheriting a weak economy that is shaped by the country’s social, political and economic landscape. 

The Millennials and Gen Z are digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smart phones. They are more likely to be aware and vocal on climate change and major issues and less about race relations in the country as seen in protest gatherings where the young people gathered are racially mixed.

These Millennials and Gen Z are less trusting and abhor the political parties and existing political systems and institutions governing the country given the revelations of various financial mismanagement conducted by the government and its agencies.

Dear Millennials and Gen Z voters, with a baseline of automatic registration and voting rights for those 18 and above, both your generation’s might reshape the electorate over the next decade. Your influence probably would grow slowly and unevenly but it will definitely shift political influence for years to come.

Each of you has that power and right. In this country, you are not subjects. Collectively, each of you and every Malaysian make up the rakyat in this country.  The rakyat choose the leaders. The rakyat should hold these leaders accountable and make them deliver on the promises they make for a better future. In this election and in every election, the rakyat have the chance to do just that. 

Over the next few months, the Millennials and Gen Z will be bombarded with messaging questioning the value of your vote. Will it matter? Will it make an impact?

Dear Millennials and Gen Z, you cannot show apathy and then grumble about how things are being governed and managed in this country. 

Dear Millennials and Gen Z voters, your ballot matters and it is incredibly powerful. 

Your vote is your voice, your contribution to a national discussion. It is your chance to do something about the critical challenges facing our nation.

If you want a prosperous and wealthy nation, free from the ills and corruption that permeates every aspect of your daily life, your vote is your voice.

If you are outraged and heartbroken following yet another revelation of corrupted acts by some politician or some failed projects, wastage of government funds, a politician receiving a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) or even deaths in custody, your vote is your voice.

If you believe that the country can do better, your vote is your voice and your power.

Never think for a moment that your vote won’t matter or your voice too small.

Your vote is an exercise of political power. Your voice is a moral contribution to this country you live in.

Do not follow the mistakes of the baby boomers where money has come to dominate everything  completely, including those people they send to Parliament and the respective State Assemblies which is best described as pathetic.

FLK reads the Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.