Addiction to Power & Fame

"I would not rest until democracy had returned to Pakistan."

—Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007)

Power and fame are very, very addictive—you can't get enough of them. Those who've tasted power and fame would rarely want to relinquish any of them. We don't have to look very far for examples; we have many of these people here in Malaysia. I'm sure some of them are getting senile soon; they are about to fossilize in their hot seats! Of course some of them have repeatedly announced over the years that they will vacate their positions "when the time is right". But don't hold your breath, it's not going to happen anytime soon.

How much would you sacrifice for the sake of power and fame? Would you be willing to put your life at stake?

In October, I was surprised to read the news of Benazir Bhutto returning to Pakistan after an 8-year self-exile abroad. What was she thinking? During her home-coming rally, 139 people were killed in a terror attack. But Bhutto escaped unhurt. She pushed her luck too far. In a country where there are more than 40 suicide attacks in a year, it's just a matter of time before they got to her. Yet she was adamant—she "would not rest until democracy had returned to Pakistan."

The worst kind of enemies are those who have nothing to lose. Bhutto's enemies—or rather her enemies' scapegoats—were willing to die for their cause. There was no stopping them.

And so the inevitable has happened. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated yesterday evening. Since she has made it clear that she would not rest, so she has been forced to rest. In the animal kingdom, the fittest and strongest will rule. In Pakistan, the last person standing will rule the nation. To the people of Pakistan, I hope it was worth it.