Apportioning The Blame

by M. Bakri Musa

It is tempting – and comforting – to blame everyone for the failure of Prime Minister Abdullah’s leadership, or to take the other extreme and heap the blame entirely on the hapless man.

Both approaches would be inadequate if not wrong. The corollary to “everyone is at fault” is that no one is. That would be a collective “cop out,” an abrogation of personal responsibility. Even if it were that rare instance where everyone is indeed responsible, there would still be the different degrees of culpability that would have to be acknowledged.

Blaming Abdullah entirely would also be inadequate. If nothing else, that would reveal the glaring inadequacies of the system, like its lack of checks and balances.

When a Turkish Airline jet crashed over Paris in 1974 because its cargo door blew out, the blame was not put entirely on the sloppy mechanic – although his negligence was clearly the triggering event – rather on the design flaws that would not indicate when doors were not properly secured. Firing the poor mechanic (though that was done) would not prevent future similar accidents, but improving the design with better indicator lights did.

An insight of modern “failure analysis” is that catastrophes are often not the result of a single major error, rather the cumulative effects of a series of minor mistakes each compounding the other until a critical stress point is reached when the whole thing would blow up. We are all familiar with the story of losing the war for the want of a nut.

Triggering Event

We could usefully use these approaches to analyze Abdullah’s failure. The triggering event (the sloppy mechanic as it were) was Mahathir’s selection of Abdullah back in 1998. Had Mahathir not done this, we would have been spared this disaster.

Malaysia however cannot be at the mercy of the mistake of any one person. Besides, blaming Mahathir alone would also not pass the philosophical test on the meaning of causation. We might as well blame Abdullah’s mother if we were to pursue this line of logic, for had she not given birth to him, we would have been spared this debacle. We could go even earlier and blame Abdullah’s father for the conception. There would be no end to the line of blame.

Certainly Mahathir should have been more prudent and sought wider counsel in selecting his deputy. He should have had the courage to break party tradition and go beyond the sitting vice presidents in selecting his successor.

While Mahathir was clearly the triggering factor, I would apportion only 10 percent of the blame on him.

The Man Himself

When Abdullah was selected to assume the highest office in the land, he should have taken that responsibility seriously. This was not, as in the tradition of the civil service from which he came, “just another promotion.” Granted, the man lacks introspective instinct, nonetheless he should have at least contemplated his abilities and limitations.

When the distinguished editor Howard Raines was appointed to head the influential New York Times, he knew that he lacked executive experience. Consequently he enrolled in a brief graduate business program. When Tengku Razaleigh was approached by then Prime Minister Hussein Onn to be his deputy, the Tengku politely declined. He felt he could contribute more by being other than a Deputy Prime Minister. Mark of wisdom and self confidence!

When Hussein Onn felt that leading the country was way over his head, he did the honorable thing: He resigned. Wise man!

Abdullah clearly lacks executive talent and economic nous; he owes it to himself and the nation to remedy those deficits. He could have had the services of the best minds, if only he had been prudent in selecting his advisors.

For these reasons I would apportion a greater blame – 20 percent – to Abdullah.

Editors, Pundits, Abdullah’s Advisors as Culprits

Just as Abdullah has a duty to select competent advisors, they too owe a duty to him and the nation in properly advising him. They are advisors and counselors, not courtiers and cheerleaders. Abdullah has his wife and family members to do that for him. My admonition also goes to Abdullah’s other official advisors like his ministers and UMNO Supreme Council members.

This duty to advise extends beyond those with appropriately designated titles. Editors and journalists as well as intellectuals and pundits, whom society has implicitly imposed a similar obligation, also have a sacred duty and a greater obligation to the public in serving as checks and balances on the leadership.

Veteran news anchor Walter Cronkite’s critical comments on the Vietnam War were instrumental in President Johnson not seeking a second term. Had Malaysian editors and journalists acted less like lap dogs, Abdullah would not have dared stray far.
It is hilarious to see these editors of the mainstream media now clumsily trying to correct themselves. They are finding that ingrained habits are hard to break, especially bad ones.

If our editors had a fraction of the fearlessness of Raja Petra, and intellectuals an iota of the integrity of Azmi Sharom, we are more likely to get honest competent leaders, and keep them that way once they are in power.

Academics like Shamsul AB who are on the public payroll and pundits like Johan Jaafar who earn fat public pensions have a public duty not to debase themselves to be the administration’s sycophants. They have to remain true to their vocation.

These folks as well as those boys on the infamous “fourth floor” must therefore shoulder their responsibility for Abdullah’s failings. I would apportion 30 percent of the blame to them.

We Deserve Our Leaders

Abdullah would not be the leader he is without his followers – us – acquiescing to or permitting it. Had Malaysians not given Abdullah that overwhelming mandate in 2004 and instead adopted a more skeptical “Show me first!” attitude, his ego would not have been so inflated. He would have a more realistic assessment of his capabilities; it also would have chastened his advisors.

Malaysians had plenty of opportunities to remind Abdullah of his shortcomings prior to the recent general election. The last was the Ijok state by-election. The excesses of UMNO operatives during this last general election grew out of voters’ tolerance of earlier shenanigans.

We are responsible for the leaders we get. We must scrutinize our leaders’ promises; we must hold these leaders accountable. If we fail to do that, then we have only ourselves to blame for their straying. For these reasons I would apportion 40 percent of the blame on Malaysian voters.

While Mahathir’s culpability is a miniscule 10 percent, nonetheless he has freely admitted to it. More importantly, he is trying his best to rectify it. Malaysians too are becoming more circumspect and taking their voting responsibilities seriously, as demonstrated by this recent election results.

As for Abdullah, he has accepted responsibility alright, but that is all he has done. He continues blaming others – party saboteurs, Anwar, Mahathir – everybody but himself. As for his advisors, pundits, editors and intellectuals, they have remained uncharacteristically silent. They have yet to acknowledge much less rectify their mistakes.

The foregoing is not an accounting exercise rather a suggestion on how we should treat our leaders in future. The burden is particularly high for voters who are also commentators, editors, and intellectuals.

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30 Replies to “Apportioning The Blame”

  1. Thats why we need an independent pillars of the society.
    Executive, The Court, Media, Enforcement

    If the executive appoint all the position of The Court, and Enforcement. Then what kind of independent are we talking about?

    If we have to renew our printing license every year, how can we be more independent on reporting.

    30% for the media should fall to the voters, 70% to be blamed is the voters. However voter never heard the truth since all the Medias are spinning doctor.. How?

    Shiok Guy
    http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/

  2. According to Dr Bakri Musa’s “failure analysis” of so called “failure of Prime Minister Abdullah’s leadership” and his apportionment of blame : 10% TDM, 20% AAB, 30% “Fourth Floor” boys and 40% Malaysian voters.

    This is, in my humble opinion, a rather skewed analysis.

    First of all Bakri has not assigned any blame to the warlords within ruling circle and indolent bureaucrats in public service. They are the ones surrounding AAB and resisting, thwarting and frustrating his initiatives for reform at govt level.

    With all due respect, Bakri is too indulgent to TDM (assigned miniscule 10%) and totally unfair to voters (assigned 40% of blame).

    TDM should bear 80% of the system inherited by AAB that is inimical to reforms.

    Bakri should not assign any blame to us Rakyat using Ijok state by-election as example. The reason for this is because politicians are voted in as trustee for rakyat as beneficiaries.

    The beneficiaries may be foolish and unwise, easily deceived etc but since the benchmark of leadership success or failure is always predicated on rakyat’s well being or lack thereof, then rakyat for whose benefit such a measurement of leadership is invoked, can never be blamed, because the measurement is always pointed the other way at those in power – unless of course, one takes the stance that the people always deserve the rotten and corrupt leaders they vote in. If one takes such a stance then of course rakyat should not be blamed 40%, we should be assigned 100% of blame for past and present leaders but that begs the question, doesn’t it???

  3. I don’t think Malaysia has failed.
    The system was able to determine the wishes of the voters and removed the 2/3 majority.

    No doubt it has taken many years of abuse but at last the majority of moderate Malaysians have decided “Enough is enough!”

    We must never forget and always be vigilant.

  4. Kiss-the-keris-muddin has refuted an online news portal’s report that his deputy KJ had admitted the keris issue was one of the reasons for Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in the general election.

    He still believes that he has every right to raise an unsheathed keris to threaten non-Malays and to desensitise them of this abuse.

    Great. Kiss-the-keris-muddin, please continue to do so in the coming Umno GA! Have KJ with you as well.

  5. ///The triggering event (the sloppy mechanic as it were) was Mahathir’s selection of Abdullah back in 1998. Had Mahathir not done this, we would have been spared this disaster.///

    If the disaster means the recent March 8 election results, then I think it was a tremendous success for the voters, and the nation. It was a disaster for UMNO perhaps.

    The triggering event for the disaster of UMNO, and the nation was the acceptance of TDM as a member of UMNO. Without TDM’s trouble making after May 13, UMNO would not have gone on the ketuanan Melayu path, which exploded 40 years later. Since NEP, UMNO politics have become the most lucrative profession, which contributed only to the consumption of resources.

    The country celebrated the departure of TDM in 2003. But TDM still had the ability to intervene in the running of the government, after the oil revenue has almost been used up before he stepped down. The crooked bridge TDM initiated just before his departure costs the government a billion to abort. The purchase of a motor company by proton wiped out a few hundred million from Proton’s balance sheet. Yet TDM created a competition for the racist champions among UMNO when he criticized PM AAB for not having done enough for Malays. The government had done a lot for Malays since Razak’s FELDA scheme. TDM had changed NEP from poverty alleviation to the creation of Malays millionaires who must have been indebted to TDM to fund money politics within UMNO for his benefits.

    PM AAB was swayed by TDM in extending the most unpopular NEP as implemented in the way it did for the past 38 years to 2020. Not to be outdone, a Malay champion brandished the Keris at the UMNO GA, and others were encouraged to incite seditious sentiments. Little Napoleons displayed the might of dead bodies to support TDM’s claim that Malaysia was an Islamic state, and that was supplemented with tearing down of temples. These actions could not have encouraged enthusiastic support for BN in the March 8 election. Was that a plan to destroy UMNO by TDM who asked voters to vote for people and not party, a practice alien to UMNO election campaign since UMNO’s inception? The longer term objective was calling for AAB to resign when UMNO was weakened.

    BN lost their votes from Malays and non-Malays voters. Non-Malays’ votes was the results of the cumulative effects of the BN government over the past 50 years, especially after 1999 when they were cheated outright by TDM. So TDM should bear 99% of the responsibility for losing non-Malay votes. The Malays are aware now that NEP made use of their race for the benefit of a few selected by the people in power. For 22 years, TDM chose whom he wish to make rich, and AAB had the privilege in the last four years. TDM had 22/26 or 85% responsibility of losing Malays votes. Assuming the same number of Malays and Non-Malays have not voted BN, then TDM had 92% responsibility of losing 2/3 majority in the March 8 election.

  6. Even if oneday Kerishamudin become business man no longer into politic, he will still defend his Keris wielding antic.

    Or even when he’s almost dying in his wheelchairs, he will still hold that Keris becos tat’s his hobbies of holding it.

  7. Blame aside….if past and present leaders have any sense of basic responsibility and accountability, they should accept full responsibility.

    To be fair to all leaders, the proportion of blame should be based on the duration of their leadership or blame it all on Soros and others.

  8. Mahathir has already apologize for choosing the wrong successor. Now Pak Lah is doing something which is good to membongkar Tun Dr. Mahathir, so that he can fastly kena heart attack and die for his corruptions.

  9. Using Bakri’s analogy of Turkish Airline jet as reference, whilst AAB may, according to Bakri be a “sloppy mechanic” constituting “the triggering event” the fact is that the design flaws are already in the crony capitalist feudal system (by which our sloppy mechanic has to work on) in which system the politicians in power “have invented the strategic methodology to remain in power by cultivating the mindset among its vote banks to be reliance on government assistance – and mindset of Ketuanan Melayu” (to quote Loh in his posting yesterday at 16:42.42 under blog thread “Reflections on a Sinking Bahtera Merdeka” by Dr Azly Rahman) where rakyat were so fed up that the “critical stress point” was reached on 8th March 2008 in the 12th Malaysian GE. Here it is arguable that we may indeed have thank the sloppy mechanic without whose fumbling the critical mass would not accumulate to the extent as to subject the flawed system to extreme pressure of overhaul and redesign by institutional changes.

  10. “As for Abdullah, he has accepted responsibility alright, but that is all he has done. He continues blaming others – party saboteurs, Anwar, Mahathir – everybody but himself. As for his advisors, pundits, editors and intellectuals, they have remained uncharacteristically silent. They have yet to acknowledge much less rectify their mistakes.”

    Of all this, i still see Khairy on t.v.

    Abad Naluri still stands.

  11. Whether they are their personal mistakes or mistakes by their subordinates, as leaders, they should shoulder all responsibilities. The most noble way to take responsibility is to admit the mistakes to the Rakyat, and then resign!

    Pak Lah has gone back to the people to seek for second mandate. The people have sent him a strong message by removing the two-thirds majority. Has he taken this message as a stern warning from the people, but still want him to right the wrong? If he thinks so, he should know what to do! However, will his people in UMNO think so and give him the support he so desperately needs?

    The education system started its rot during TDM’s tenure as Minister of Education, further blundered by Najib and Kerisman. Pak Lah has not righted the situation when he can. He continues to let Kerisman to carry on.

    Mindset, greed and how a new generation of people think are nurtured in schools. Needs no elaboration. Education also decides what kind of leadership we have. Mediocracy rules. Meilir Page-Jones writes: Most people in a mediocracy are mediocre in both mind and soul, and most products of a mediocracy lack merit. Although a few individuals in a mediocracy may strive to rise above the second rate, their attempts are likely to be doomed by the prevailing ethos of their surroundings.

    What to expect from mediocracy? The country has been run by them. They copycat what others have done, and never improve on them over-looking the factor of change. End results? Need no elaboration.

    The candidates are not chosen by the people. The people are merely expected to cast their votes on those pre-appointed by the mediocrity. Should the people bear any responsibility? Do they really have a choice? May be. Choose the Opposition. Deadwoods are deadwoods. New people offer new hope. The recent GE explains it all.

    Who is (are) to blame? Still need any analysis? Don’t bother. Tomorrow is still to be lived, any how, better or worse.

    We only hope that the leadership of the five states will rise to the expectations of the People who have vested hopes in them. Set the stage for good governance, better accountability and transparency. Mere shouts of “Malaysia Boleh” won’t suffice. Work with your conscience. You have all the advantage – learning and acting on the misdeeds of the previous governments.

  12. How much blame do we apportion to the Elections Commission, who helped in blatant cheating at Ijok and now the GE08? How about the police and the other Govt machinery? Don’t they share parts of the blame? The rakyat do need to be blamed but definately cannot accept 40% of the blame. TDM definately is to be blamed for the condition of the country was when he handed over to AAB and saying that he takes 10% is absurd. TDM should bear more than double that.

  13. Malaysia development has been blocked by BN govt.

    1) Second bridge delay due to costs and design issues
    Who will be interested to come Penang to invest if the Federal Govt. failed to delivery 1st class infrastructure looking at current situation? Penang belong to opposition state.

    2) KL-Singapore bullet train derailed by high cost
    The future investment has been stop, now, any foreigner will be interested to come Malaysia? KL belong to opposition state.

  14. Bakri Musa, when can you stop harping and distorting the truth? Again and again giving ammunitions to the ummo old guards to rebuild their empire. You sound more and more like Josceline Tan of The Star, writing nothing by tons of rubbish and lies. Give us rakyat a break!

    Can someone give a record of companies under PN4 bailed out by Kazanah? How many of the companies’ directors were ummo/mca/mic old guards aka Dr M’s men? How much taxpayers’ money, EPF and crude oil resources spent to bail out those running dogs?

    Bakri Musa since you are so wise can you elaborate?

    Everybody blames everybody trying to find scape goats. But nobody accountable and responsible. That’s the fact of this country. Happened since the so-and-so ruled the nation. Malaysia Boleh!

  15. Hello all respected opposition heroes? now what should we do? any action, or just asking question?

    1) Second bridge delay due to costs and design issues
    Who will be interested to come Penang to invest if the Federal Govt. failed to delivery 1st class infrastructure looking at current situation? Penang belong to opposition state.

    2) KL-Singapore bullet train derailed by high cost
    The future investment has been stop, now, any foreigner will be interested to come Malaysia? KL belong to opposition state.

    Are opposition just going to sit there and ask question, without any action?

  16. I noticed that some people commented that
    the keris-waving incidents at UMNO youth
    meeting contributed to the BN’s heavy losses
    during the last General Election.

    One possible response to all these keris-waving
    antics is for each of us (i.e. Malaysians of all races who
    believe in racial tolerance and harmony) to send
    one plastic, toy sword each to every one of the keris wavers. Hopefully, they will get thousands upon thousands of plastic
    swords and this will be reported in the mass media.
    I’m sure this ridicule and political satire will be effective!

  17. I beg to differ. I would apportion at least 70% of the blame to Mahathir, and the remaining to the despotic principles of UMNO.

    After 22 years as the prime minister Mahathir must have known very well the track records of Badawi, an UMNO veteran since 1978 and a 5-term (or is it 6-term?) MP/minister, especially his strengths and weaknesses, and whether he would be up to the mark. And yet he picked Badawi over others. I cannot think of any other reasons than that he picked Badawi with an intention to capitalize on Badawi’s inherent weaknesses, to manipulate and control Badawi behind the scenes to further his own hidden agendas. But dis aliter visum, it seemed otherwise to the gods, things did not turn out as planned for Mahathir — thus his public tantrums and attacks on Badawi soon after the handover.

    The remaining of the blame should rest squarely with the absolute power of UMNO president to appoint his successor unilaterally, which, in actual sense, means governing beyond the grave. In the words of Thomas Paine: “The vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies. Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow.”

  18. Sorry Mr Musa, but I personally and honestly think that you have lost the plot here. While it might not be known to be productive or otherwise, the contents of your this article is devoid of any understanding towards us fellow Malaysians, young and old. As I neared the end of the article, I thought to myself that maybe you are writing to cheer us up a little in this blog.

    40% apportionment of blame to the Rakyat?! As I stated earlier, your understanding of the mentality, compositions and level of unity of fellow Malaysians is inadequate. Citing famous American talk shows changing the course of the political landscape is clearly one strong reason to support my statement.

    Culture aside, I don’t think the censorship board would have aired the show here in Malaysia. I am convinced there are many heroes among us Malaysians and we won’t be short of candidates if some of us is asked to go on air and expose the crimes of the government. And whether Malaysians are going to sit tight and watch it is a different matter altogether!

    In true political context, a failure is a failure, corruption is corruption, crime is crime. As a leader, we can’t be looking back time and blame someone before us for our own corrupt character! What is your logic and reasoning for this? And moreover, it is like the Rakyat are BLAMED for giving AAB a chance to plunder our country’s riches!

    Every morning if you pray, you would thank God for all the wonderful things He created in this world and all that is pure comes from His grace. He is the source of Goodness.

    Likewise, if we MUST blame, then we MUST blame Tun Razak & Mahathir. They are the true source of Evil in this country.

    Wasn’t it them that the NEP was started and followed by the NDP in 1991! Correct me if I am wrong, the sole purpose of both policies is to reduce the socioeconomic gap BETWEEN Chinese and Malay ONLY. And what is the so desired results of these policies?! Look at your beloved country and tell me if you find any answers. Who has benefited? Who is rich and who is not rich?

    So, all this kind of “personal” hatred has spurned a chain reaction. Look at our Indian friends, what do you think really made them rallied prior to the run up of the 8th March elections? The roads are not properly tarred? Think again.

    And under whose administration that:

    1.the abuse of the ISA happened
    2.the IGP was used as a “dog” to slap a rival
    3.cronyism persisted
    4.”arrogant corruption” ($3500 for a screwdriver?!)
    5.the judicial crisis (TDM & “others”)
    6.ACA manipulation (Lingam & “others”)
    7.political annihilation…GE jailed, KS jailed, TC jailed & many more!
    8.votes rigging (always 2/3?…F*** lah)
    9.etc, etc, etc, etc An Jua An jua…………

    And would you not agree that TDM’s successor learned from the master himself?! And that the whole UMNO structure is simply motivated by this kind of abuse?! After AAB, it will be Najik and his own “goons” turn to plunder! I dare not think what might happen if BN gained back its majority!

    To me, the Rakyat at large are ‘quite’ united. Those we see rioting on TVs, are politically based, who does not represent MALAYSIANS. As I believed, rich Malays are using poor Malays as the frontline, they wash, push, tweak and tell lies to their brains…I sincerely hope they fail!

    We Chinese don’t steal and rob…we earn every single penny with our own hardwork, penance, humility, sweat, blood and creativity. Stop using us as scapegoats for the failure of other races! Set us as a benchmark of excellence are most welcome and we will welcome you with open arms! Healthy competition leads to a healthy country!

    So, Mr Musa, please put the blame 100% on TR & TDM – because as time has revealed to us – they are the source of evil, and the remedy now is for us to wipe off their underling “leeches” and stop them from sucking Malaysians blood!

    BN, UMNO OUT!!!

    As I write this, I have around me 10 person who is still to exercise their voting rights (they have not register yet – some are almost 30 yrs old) – I AM HELLBENT ON MAKING THEM SUPPORTERS OF DAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  19. ///Hisham apologises for keris act
    Chan Kok Leong | Apr 25, 08 7:07pm

    breaking news updated 10.10pm He takes full responsibility for his actions but gives no guarantee that it will not be repeated during this year’s Umno general assembly.///—Malaysiakini

    Why bother apologising when he does not recognise that he was wrong, since he could not guarantee not to repeat a mistake.

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