I agree with George Kim's view that Peace Malaysia is a Barisan Nasional staged affair. When it was first announced that we were to have a rally for peace, I promised myself that I would attend, at all costs. However, as the date drew near, I read the many news items about how Umno Youth had suddenly hijacked the whole thing, and I changed my mind.

To me it was again o­ne of those occasions where everyone jumps o­n the bandwagon in order to look good. Even the speech by our PM sounded hollow, when he pleaded for peace and unity, yet his own statements sometimes create disunity in his own country.

Actually I have for a long time felt very uncomfortable when I see him giving either a Hari Raya or Merdeka or New Year message o­n national TV. To me he is not a symbol of unity, but that of partisan and cut-throat politics, where people especially from opposition parties are detained without trial, states under opposition rule are punished, our own citizens accused of being communists. The list goes o­n and o­n....

But he is not to be entirely blamed, because his party is under extreme pressure, and he has lost many seats in elections. Being a politician, can he endear himself to people who have suffered at the hands of the government that he leads and be accepted by people who voted against him?

He may be outspoken and a champion of the Third World etc, etc, but he definitely cannot garner the feeling of unity amongst Malaysians. My suggestion is that for Hari Raya, Merdeka and New Year, where the message is for the whole nation, it would be better that the Yang Di Pertuan Agong deliver the address. o­nly then will it be meaningful and deserve the attention and dignity it deserves.