The Rabbit Hole of Bad Decisions

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (page 20)
April 7th, 2011


Morpheus: This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends; you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

The Matrix was a movie that triggered a generation to question decisions. The red pill-blue pill monologue became so popular everyone seemed to be quoting it. Instead of the question being will Neo take the red pill or choose the blue pill. It became a question of what we would do and how we would make decisions.

We make decisions everyday, from whether we’ll get out of bed, what we’ll eat, or how we’ll spend the weekend to more weighted decisions about our future, finances and sometimes even important medical decisions. Then there are the more one-off decisions that is more collective which allows us to be a little apathetic when making them, decisions like voting. It’s easy to feel that – at the end of the day, our vote only goes so far. After all, our opinions aren’t taken too seriously especially in local politics. The people voted in, end up handing over their positions, die or jump ship. So why bother right, just tick any box, or better still why waste time. Besides, you’re not consulted when decisions have been made and if you were to disagree with unwise decisions, it doesn’t matter, the decision has already been made for you. Quite like how censorship works on television.

As a nation, candidates fielded lack quality and have made some pretty questionable decisions but keep at it just because a decision was made and changing their minds might be deemed weak. The people only find out once it’s too late. There are multiple bad decisions that were made and stuck to, just because some big shot said so. It doesn’t matter if it was a bad decision; what happens is the "because I said so" mentality kicks in once people are elected. The Port Klang scandal is one such bad decision after another and now that the whistle has been blown, investigations are moving slightly faster than turtle speed.

We don’t learn from our mistakes we just continue making bad decisions like allowing the MACC to continue when there are grave issues surrounding the manner in which it conducts investigations. How many people have to die for change to happen?

What about the proposed nuclear plants. For a country that can’t ensure bridges are built properly or that the ceiling in Parliament doesn’t leak, or that a stadium won’t collapse, how capable are we to handle not one but two nuclear plants? As the rest of the world who have a better track record with implementing proper procedures are rethinking their nuclear energy plants, we’re pressing on – why? All because someone with a lot of power says so and has forgotten that we even managed to lose two fighter jet engines. What’s to ensure the nuclear plants are safe from theft? Sometimes I wonder if our politicians are bored and need more of a rabbit hole experience.

The rare earth plant being built in Pahang comes with the risk of radioactive pollution is another such case. Yes RM700 million is a great deal of money but at what cost and who’s cost? All because someone has made the decision, and we have to go ahead with it because someone chose the red pill and we got the blue one.

We have politicians accused of scandals who insist on staying in power instead of picking other candidates. If the goal is for a better country, a better future, then decisions of who to field has to be based on the principle of higher authority.

If we are the God-fearing nation we keep saying we are, perhaps our decisions should be based on the principle of pleasing God. Maybe then we might start making the right decisions.

Natalie wishes Sarawak all the best in making the right decision.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com