Do your bit and have your say

My political awareness started when I was in secondary school - thanks to one of my teachers. We were talking about history in class when he mentioned about things not being what it seemed. In particular, he mentioned about the redrawing of electoral boundaries - gerrymandering, phantom voters, 1969 and that certain figureheads were doing nothing but bad for society. Just as abruptly he stopped and continued the class - in hindsight probably with the fear of ISA - but what he said shook me.


Before this, politics for me was basically about independence and progress of the country as a whole. The only stuff I read was what was in the major dailies - I did not know that they were government controlled and thus had control over what got published. Of course I was still young then, and at this stage, Internet availability was limited and availability of altenative news sparse. However over the past few years, the availability of various portals of information (be it via meeting other people, reading literature/ online sources) has given me the ability to realise that things are not what it is.

You all know the various problems plaguing the country of late; I don't need to list them all out. Needless to say I am pretty much disgusted with many things that are going on, and that change is needed before the point of no return (perhaps we have even crossed it).

On one of my previous trips back, I duly registered for voting at the nearby post office. Come the upcoming elections, I will be eligible to vote for the first time. Pending the backdate of the electorate roll to be used, rest assured that I will make sure that I will do my part - for the country I still do love.