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If we want to push the boundaries of democracy and uphold the principles of peoples power and equality, this the right time to do it, says Shuhaib Ar Rumy Ismail.

Old KL Our system of government needs an update

Having a cup of teh tarik and roti canai in my hometown, Jitra, has been my morning ritual since I was a boy. Those were the occasions when I could connect physically with many people, especially the Pak Ciks.

Hearing them chatting, debating and ranting somehow made me realise that everyone has the capacity to think, and sometimes their wisdom is more insightful than any journalists.

Last week, when I decided to reacquaint myself with this ritual, I was struck by the sight of senior citizens scanning their smartphones to look up references or points for the warungs political debates.

Technology is everywhere. Right now, you are using a gadget or device to read this. Smartphones, tablets, desktop PCs or laptops have become our life companions and almost a part of us: the tangible sixth sense in this modern world.

The current trend on the Internet-of-Everything (IoE) pushes every aspect of the tools that we use daily to be connected to the internet. Astonishing data transfer speeds of up to 7.5 gbps are now under development. Accessing and sharing information has never been easier.

But despite rapid technology advancement, our political system is somehow stuck in traditional ways. Its structure, hierarchy, instruments and paradigm seem to be trapped in the post-colonial era. Nothing much has changed since then. I am not talking about any other country; I am referring to Malaysia. This phenomenon has gone shockingly unnoticed by the masses or even by many politicians in this country.

We can learn from history that technology (or tools) can disrupt the system or even the paradigm. Back in the medieval ages, the process of centralised religious understanding was disrupted by the invention of the printed press, which was then used to print and distribute Bibles to ordinary people. That is how Protestantism flourished.

In the 19th Century, a small group of scientists tried to predict what the future would be like. They figured that New York would perish because of an overpopulation of horses! This was prior to the creation of the car, which was brought to mass production by Henry Ford 50 years later.

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Like software, our government too need its update