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Parliamentary democracy does not provide for political parties in the system of government. Parties are not the government. Parties are not part of the constitutional system. Parties only exist within the election system. In practice, in Penang, is there any difference in attitude from that of Gerakan-Umno? Or just a change of clothes? Is there a difference in policies and attitudes towards the destructive urbanisation of Penang, particularly the island, and the greed of property developers? Or just a change of cronies? If Pakatan Rakyat captures Putrajaya, as they captured Penang and Selangor, will the people of Malaysia be in charge of Putrajaya? Or will it be the powerful business cronies behind the scenes who will tell Pakatan what to do? Will it be yet more RM100 or RM500 for a few of you here and a few of you there, and hundreds of millions or billions for my bigtime friend here and my big-bucks supporter there? Ultimately, politicians will cheat the ordinary people, because the politicans can capture politics (the debate about policy) and government (the execution of policy), both of which rightly are the property of the people. This business of capturing power has become just another business, whether DAP and Pakatan business or Umno and Barisan Nasional business, and the reform business a subsidiary to the business of power. The people are pawns, but given false hopes by being called shareholders. So, too, the media and many journalists, who fall into the embrace of either side, whether out of emotion or self-interest, or seduced by the attraction of power. By failing to provide a clear-sighted, disinterested, honest appraisal of what is happening, not what appears to be happening, they too have become part of the business of capturing power. For some, its profitable or potentially so. Thats why politics as the business of power in practice is truly filthy. Gobind Rudra was once a newspaper editor. Stand Up for My Rights (21)