Freedom of Choice

Today marks the nomination day of 13th General Election of Malaysia. It is a day political parties presenting their candidates for the choice of people. It is also a starting day for people to listen the candidates' pledge, to read the manifesto and to analyse the candidate with calibre to serve the people, community and nation. The choice is with the people, or in precise the voters. Freedom of choice is the underlying principle of public participation, to whom the public participation forms a major contributing component for sustainable development. We tend to choose things that we familiar and used to without taking an initiative to think further or to try to be more adventurous. This is understood as human nature is very much comfortable with the present life style they have, if they are enjoying it. Some do not like change because they have the fear of changing for worse scenario. Some do not like change because they might have some personal experience. Some do not like change because they have countless interest in not changing. For people to step out from the comfort zone required extra and concerted efforts from those who aspire to bring changes. For those people who aspire for changes will need a lot of courages. If we choose to embrace sustainability, then action must be taken to walk the talk. If we choose to NATO (No Action, Talk Only), then nothing is going to happen and we will have ourselves to blame if our own backyard is getting unsustainable. Whatever it is, the undenying fact is everyone has a choice to choose.