Leaders are not indispensable

The waves of people's uprising against their leaders, first started in Egypt, are just unfortunate and disturbing. Whatever it is, the citizens become the ultimate victims of such tyranny. Such disturbances probably have been brewing for a long time without the leaders realising them or out of sheer pride and arrogance that they feel they are untouchables. Many of the leaders have being ruling for between 20 to 40 years plus and must have been too comfortable in their pews that they take the citizens and the people for granted.
I am not sure how these leaders were put in power but whatever it is you just cannot ignore the voices of the people, even if you rule with guns and cannons. When people become desperate and fed-up with the government, constantly listening to the lies and unfulfilled promises over the years, they will revolt at whatever cost, even their own lives. Take for example Egypt where 40% of the citizens live in poverty. Therefore it is not surprising that the Egyptians rose and toppled their leaders. I believe what happened and are happening in the Arab world can happen anywhere else
Let's not forget leaders come and leaders go and they are not meant to be there on the throne forever. Leaders are voted into power and if the people are not happy with their performance, they have every right to vote them out. Leaders must know when to step down or retire graciously, no matter how popular they may be. Unfortunately there are some who do not know when or how to step down giving the lame excuse that there are still unfinished business to attend to. Such excuses only give rise to suspicions and create ill-feelings and help to quicken the downfall of themselves and the party they lead. This is pure selfishness and bring unnecessary misery to others. Nobody is indispensable. When one steps down there will always be others to take over and lead the nation to scale greater heights. The willingness of some in Sarawak to pave way for others is to be saluted and appreciated.
Remember we can fool some of the people some of the time but we cannot fool all the people all the time. The people in the Arab world and elsewhere, including our country are well connected and they know what's happening. To think and believe that Malaysians are still not matured enough is far-fetch and childish. Leaders must treat the citizens with dignity and accord them the highest respect if they do not want to be dumped. Government is put in power to fulfil the aspiration and wishes of the people and not for cosmetic purposes. Abraham Lincoln aptly summed up: "government of the people, by the people, for the people". Leaders must not outlive their usefulness.