Change is imminent

If the wave of change keeps on with the momentum, USA will be having an African descendant taking the oath as their new president on January 20 next year. As the war chant of Barack Obama campaign, CHANGE is imminent in America and every part of the world. The question is how far and how long will it takes for change to take it's effects?

I remember when I was studying in a local university years ago, some of my like-minded friends with interest on international politics took the initiative to start a discussion group on the changes happening in the international scene. We declared ourselves as the "International Politics Study Group". This is an informal group which is in no way linked to any subjects offered by the university. We are just a bunch of young student who wants to look beyond the usual papers offered by the university.

This study group organised periodic discussion on happenings in the international scene and also issues affecting world politics. We had discussion on Tian-an-men, Afghanistan and so on. We invited a representative from the local US Embassy to present their views on US interest in the Pacific. We follow up with an visit to the US embassy to further understand the making of the USA.

We are indeed blessed that the head of UKM's Political Science Department that time, Harold Crouch was very supportive of our initiative and provide the necessary departmental assistance to use university's facilities for our group activities. It is indeed a good gesture of the professor to give us a hand to further our interest for change. I am not sure how many lecturers nowadays will take the extra steps to educate their students rather than just ensuring they submit their assignments and pass their term examinations. Co-incidentally Harold's wife Khasnor Johan, was also teaching in the same university and was my final year research supervisor. Maybe due to her education and exposure in the USA, her non-patronizing and sharp approach helps me to finish my thesis with flying colours.

I also took a paper on American modern history under lecturer Pamela Sodhy. It was an interesting paper for me not only due to the subject matter but also due to the engaging approach by the lecturer. We had discussions not just for the sake of examinations but for knowlege and education. Maybe due to my consistent interest on American history, Pamela submitted my name for a Master's Program in American History in an university in the US. The offer came later which provides tuition fees and also a part-time in campus job. She was disappointed when I declined the offer. I wondered now, if I taken up the offer, what change will it be on my life destiny? Will I be a candidate in the American election too? No one will ever know.

The happenings in the USA will be constantly studied and watched all over the world as it's actions or in-actions affects and changed many in different parts of the globe. Will Barack Obama brings changes to a new world order which truly reflect it's clarion call of democracy in the US but interpreted differently when it involves countries which are not in cahoot which them? Obama might have the intention but will the American civil servant and the armed forces changed and toe the line and walk the same path? Will all Americans accept him as the president when he wins the presidential election?

We don't have to look far to realize on paper it is so but in reality it is more challenging than ever. Isn't it true that the civil servant are putting a spanner to the administration of the new state governments in Pakatan Rakyat states? These civil servants still can't accept that change is already here, whether they like it or not. If they can't take it, they should leave it. The rakyat do not owed them a living but they are responsible to the rakyat to serve them well without any sign of discrimination, lousy job attitude, witch-hunting and selective prosecution. - Loka