Why should we vote for empty promises?

Hulhumale reclaimed for social housing. PHOTO: HILATH

There’s not much difference in the policies outlined in the 8 presidential candidates’ manifestos for tomorrow’s presidential election which largely and similarly make lofty pledges and promises of doing everything to develop Maldives, subsidize services, and try to provide everything for free to the greatest extent possible.

Bridges, hospitals, international airports and ready-to-occupy housing units on land yet to be reclaimed, are all being materialized out of thin air. Long-term leases on all social housing units, traffic violations stretching 5 years and more are all disappearing from existence with such ease.

Maldives is such a messed up country now, perhaps even a failed state, trying to hide behind a facade of peaceful paradise where, otherwise, behind the scenes of "the sunny side of life", lurk the shadows of darkness such as rampant sexual abuse of children and domestic violence against women, human trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking and it's abuse, money laundering, and whatnot. No wonder that all aspects of our life are now intertwined with black markets and organized crime. And that may be only the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

“The human condition is that, there will always be begging, homelessness, and organized crime. It’s not that governments don’t have money but they don’t want to solve those problems for many reasons,” a foreign friend told me.

Thus, all this mudslinging in the current presidential election campaign, which ceases today at 1800 hours, is to hide the fact that Maldivian politicians have no consideration for the citizens' interests, because, ultimately, it's about sharing the country's resources and wealth among the elite who happens to be in power at any given time. And they will welcome outsiders into their club if they think they are useful.

But it baffles me why seemingly intelligent Maldivians have fallen for these lies and believe all the political parties' deceptions that their respective enemy parties want to get rid of Islam and sell the Maldives' sovereignty to India or China. But I guess I should not be perplexed because we have been brainwashed for so many years that "religion and sovereignty" should be top priority - even ahead of family ties. So perhaps my analysis is wrong: if Hitler could brainwash millions of Germans through his lies-generating confidant Goebbels, it shouldn't be difficult for Maldives’ politicians on the opposing spectrums to convince Maldivian citizens that their agenda is protecting Islam and Maldives' independence.

This underlines the fact that there are no permanent allies or enemies in politics. Who would have thought President Waheed will support President Maumoon despite Maumoon mistreating Waheed's mother? Who would have thought Maumoon will ever join a coalition with the ruling MDP?

Everything is to do with money. That's how everyone survives. As long as voters can get some material benefits from supporting candidates, they don't think much as long as the promises are made. For example, isn't it a wonder that some people do not question the motives of the president in power at any given time when they proclaim pledges towards the end of their terms which clearly indicates that they are not sincere and just wants the votes of people who don't think much except where their self-interest lies?

And both the ruling and the opposition have their corrupt footmen to carry on duping unthinking citizens. Not to mention the paid anonymous bots to regularly harass, bully, and troll ordinary people who don't support that particular politicians' political parties.

Which brings to my mind this famous quote by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of US: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”

Lincoln was dead wrong – at least if you consider the case of Maldives. You can actually fool all of the Maldivians all of the time. And Maldivians have been fooled for more than 2,500 years - at least if that is the period of our recorded history.