“Failed Expectations”

Recently I heard from an old acquaintance, a businessman. What he told me made me feel very sad.

He is an honest person, soft-spoken, working hard to support a wife and children.

He had a client who refused to pay him for work he did.

The work was completed on time to specification, the client was simply trying to cheat him.

The work involved a lot of labour and materials, so not being paid put my acquaintance in a difficult financial situation.

He wanted to report the matter to the police, but felt that to do so was useless, he felt the police and courts would ignore his case, or take years to deal with it (or perhaps demand a large sum of money to "investigate").

He felt he had no choice but act contrary to his upbringing and what he feels is ethical and moral.

He hired a gangster to visit the client, for what he felt was a reasonable fee.

My acquaintance reported to me that within a short period of time, once the gangster had paid a visit to the client, they had "no further problem" with the client, payment was made.

What makes me sad is my acquaintance has so completely lost faith in the Malaysian courts and Malaysian police that they felt they had nobody to turn to for help; with the exception of a gangster.

It is sad that Malaysians have so lost faith in the government.

It is sad is that under the BN/UMNO regime the courts and the police have become tools of the ruling elite.

Presently, the courts and police serve every wish of the VVIPs and VIPs.

For the common people, the majority of the people, the courts and police are merely sources of frustration, harassment and failed expectations.

Pakac Luteb