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However, the important thing is that we tried, and that is why many of us try to make these pledges as simple as possible in the hope that some of them will be kept.

There will be the usual “I will lose XX amount of weight”, “I will exercise more”, “I will save more money” or at worse “I will get married this year although I have no partner yet”.

Of course, most of us may attempt tougher ones that require greater resolve. These include the likes of “I will be more productive”, “I will stop drinking”, “I will really work harder”, and the infamous “I will give up smoking”.

There are those who believe that New Year resolutions are meaningless if they are not kept, but I disagree.

Like I said, resolutions are not meant to be kept; rather it is the effort we put in.

A friend of mine wrote in her Facebook posting that resolutions are about starting from a clean slate, and I cannot agree more with that.

It is in this spirit that I have decided to draw up these resolutions. However, not all are for myself. In fact, most are for others.

For all Malaysians

> We will not believe everything we read on the Internet;

> We will not let bad news bring us down;

> We will continue to laugh at ourselves and at each other;

> We will ignore all the calls to be politically correct all the time;

> We will still love our country despite all its shortcomings;

> We will not force our views upon others; and,

> We will accept and embrace other peoples’ cultures, not just tolerate them.

For all politicians

> We will be good losers;

> We will be magnanimous winners;

> We will not destroy the country in our bid to grab power;

> We will discuss important matters in Parliament and State Assemblies, and not try to score political points;

> We will resign all our posts the moment we fail the people;

> We will act with integrity and behave like human beings, not animals;

> We will not incite the people to hate others; and,

> We will support whatever policies that are good for the people.

For all 15 governments in the country

> We will not victimise anyone who did not vote for us;

> We will not carry out witch-hunts against previous administrations;

> We shall administer fairly, and bring prosperity to all;

> We will rectify all laws that are unfair, destructive, divisive, and discriminatory;

> We will ensure that ALL poor people receive assistance;

> We will fulfil the promises we make;

> We will only come up with policies that are good for all, not only for a few;

> We will protect the minority from the majority;

> We will accept criticisms and act on them positively;

> We will allow all media to operate freely everywhere; and,

> We will cooperate with all governments in the Federation regardless of which party is in power.

I know that this sounds like

a political manifesto, and it is. Maybe we should enact a law that requires all politicians and governments to come out with yearly

resolutions so that we, the people, can keep track of who is trying and who is lying.

It is difficult to remember who did what and who promised what four years on come every election, but with a yearly check-list we can easily keep count.

Why not? Are they afraid that we can then actually call them to account?

Like I said earlier, resolutions are about a clean slate and efforts. If they had tried their very best, I am sure we will be with them, just as we will abandon them if they lied or did not even try.

On a personal note, I have drawn up these resolutions for myself:

> I will lose 5kg (this is dedicated to my doctor);

> I will smoke fewer cigarettes (this is also dedicated to my doctor as well as to my daughter);

> I will spend more time with my family; and,

> I will keep a lid on my short-temper (this is dedicated to all my colleagues).

If it is not too late, I would like to wish all readers a Happy New Year, and may the next 363 days be productive and joyful ones.

> Our Deputy Executive Editor Wong Sai Wan has not made a new year resolution for years and is glad there is reason to do so this year.

Putik Lada has been held over to next week. The column will now be published on alternate Thursdays.
P. Gunasegaram is on leave. His Question Time column returns next week.