06/06/2026

SATURDAY | JUNE 6, 2026

18 Fix the pothole! It’s election season I LIVE in Seremban. And if you want proof that an election is coming, don’t look for political announcements; look at the roads. assembly does, looked up from his tablet when the announcement appeared on television and asked: “Amma, what’s an election?”

I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Maybe in a few years, mone . For now, it is enough to know that things are about to get colourful around here. Malaysia’s election cycle has developed its own peculiar rhythm. Suddenly, tents appear on empty fields. Ceramah stages I N T R I emerge overnight. Roads that have been ignored for years become urgent matters of public interest. There will be calendars, keychains and reusable bags. There will be smiling candidates posing for photographs at markets they have never visited before. There will be politicians walking through housing estates with the enthusiasm of first-time tourists despite having represented the area for years. There will be handshakes, nasi lemak and promises – about hospitals, schools, public transport, the cost of living – all delivered with great conviction and received with increasing caution, and then there are the potholes. Every Malaysian driver has a pothole story. Mine is a stretch of road near my neighbourhood that has been discussed in our residents’ WhatsApp group for so many years that it has acquired its own nickname. We have reported it, photographed it, complained about it and even watched workers patch it so many times that the surrounding tarmac now resembles a quilt stitched together from different decades. Yet somehow, every election season, it receives immediate P O A V I S H T protection gap. What happens when a worker suffers an accident that has nothing to do with work? A road accident while travelling home during a festive season, a serious fall at home, an injury sustained during recreational activities or an accident while carrying out daily family responsibilities can all have severe consequences. Yet, many of these incidents have traditionally fallen outside the scope of existing employment injury protection because they are not work-related. The consequences, however, are no different. A worker may be unable to work, lose income, require medical treatment and rehabilitation, and place significant financial strain on the family. This is precisely why Lindung 24 jam was introduced. The scheme extends social security protection to accidents occurring outside the course of employment, ensuring that workers receive protection not only while at work but throughout their daily lives. Seen in this context, Lindung 24 jam is not replacing existing protection; it is completing it. Today, Malaysia’s social security framework protects workers against three major risks: employment-related accidents through the Employment

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of the Negeri Sembilan state assembly on Thursday, I am convinced at least three things happened somewhere across the state. A lorry loaded with campaign buntings quietly rolled out of a warehouse. A contractor received an urgent call about a road that has been damaged since 2023. And in kopitiams from Seremban to Nilai, someone put down their teh tarik and said with the weary confidence of a veteran observer: “ Musim pilihan raya dah sampai .” Election season is here. And Malaysians know exactly how this story goes. Negeri Sembilan has become the second state to dissolve its assembly in less than a week, following Johor. All 36 state seats will be contested within the next 60 days. Politicians will tell us this is about securing a fresh mandate, strengthening governance and serving the rakyat . The rakyat , meanwhile, will quietly start taking stock of which drains have remained clogged since the last election, which streetlights have not worked for months and which potholes may finally receive attention now that candidates need votes. This is not cynicism; this is institutional memory. My parents recognised the pattern. My grandparents recognised it. Even my 11-year-old son, who has absolutely no idea what a state B Y H A S H I R ECE N T discussions on Perkeso’s Lindung 24 jam have focused on what the scheme does not cover, particularly illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and other medical conditions. While these questions are understandable, they risk overlooking a more important question: What gap was Lindung 24 jam created to address? Lindung 24 jam was introduced to close the last major gap in protection for Malaysian workers in the formal sector. For many years, Malaysia’s social security system has protected workers against two major risks. First, workers are protected against employment related accidents through Perkeso’s Employment Injury Scheme. If a worker suffers an accident while performing his duties or while commuting to and from work, he is protected under the law. Second, workers are protected against invalidity arising from serious illnesses and medical conditions through Perkeso’s Invalidity Scheme. Workers who suffer from qualifying medical conditions that result in permanent invalidity and loss of earning capacity may receive long-term protection under this scheme. However, there has always been a N I

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A healthy democracy does not require blind faith. It requires citizens who are willing to participate while remaining critical. That is exactly what many Malaysians do.– MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN

will begin. At some point, a politician standing outside a temple, mosque or community hall will say something genuinely moving about the people who live there and despite ourselves, we may even believe it. And the pothole near my house will almost certainly be repaired. For a few weeks, Seremban will feel noticed, looked after and perhaps even loved. We will enjoy every minute of it. Just don’t ask us what the road will look like after the election. Hashini Kavishtri Kannan is the assistant news editor at theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

on democracy. We may be sceptical but we are not indifferent. There is a difference. A healthy democracy does not require blind faith. It requires citizens who are willing to participate while remaining critical. That is exactly what many Malaysians do. We understand the system is imperfect. We know campaign promises are not always fulfilled. We recognise political theatre when we see it. Yet, we cast our ballots anyway because we still believe public accountability begins with participation. That is not naivety; that is democratic maturity. So yes, the buntings will go up, the matching T-shirts will appear and the speeches

attention. The hole disappears and the road becomes smooth. And residents stand around admiring the fresh tar with the complicated emotions of people who are genuinely grateful but also mildly offended. Because beneath all the jokes, memes and eye-rolls lies a more serious truth: we still vote. Despite the frustrations, despite the political fatigue, despite watching familiar faces rearrange themselves into unfamiliar coalitions, despite the fact that parties once bitterly opposed to each other now govern together; we still show up. That matters. For all the complaints Malaysians make about politics, most of us have not given up

LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com Clarification on Perkeso’s Lindung 24 jam

With power comes responsibility I N an increasingly polarised world, conflicts between powerful nations continue to threaten global stability. The tensions involving Iran and battlegrounds for larger geopolitical rivalries and ordinary citizens pay the highest price. The future of international

Injury Scheme, invalidity arising from serious illnesses through the Invalidity Scheme and now non-work-related accidents through Lindung 24 jam . This means that a worker who suffers an accident at work is protected. A worker who becomes permanently invalid due to a qualifying illness is protected. And now, a worker who suffers an accident outside work is also protected. Far from reducing protection, Lindung 24 jam expands it. It closes a long-standing protection gap and strengthens the social safety net for millions of Malaysian workers and their families. The introduction of Lindung 24 jam means that for the first time Malaysian workers are protected not only against accidents at work and invalidity due to illness but also against accidents that occur during everyday life. It closes a gap that has existed for decades and represents another important step forward in building a stronger, more comprehensive and more inclusive social security system for all workers. Perkeso ( S ocso)

relations must not be shaped by military dominance but by cooperation and respect for sovereignty. Global stability cannot be achieved through intimidation or unilateral action. Instead, it requires trust-building, diplomatic channels and sincere efforts to understand differing perspectives. As global citizens, we must ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to leave for future generations? One defined by rivalry and force or one grounded in dialogue and mutual respect? The time has come for nations to send a clear message that bullying and battlefield diplomacy are relics of the past. Humanity deserves a future where peace is pursued not as an afterthought but as the primary objective.

the United States are not merely regional disputes they reflect deeper questions about sovereignty, global power, and humanity’s collective future. War is often framed as a fight for freedom or security. However, history shows that military confrontation frequently brings devastation to civilians, weakens national sovereignty and destabilises entire regions. Every nation, regardless of its size or economic power, has the right to determine its own path without external coercion. In today’s interconnected world, superpowers hold significant influence over global politics. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility. When international actors intervene in local or regional issues, the consequences often extend far beyond their original intentions. Smaller nations may become

Papparaidu Veraman President of Malaysia Indian Voice