By Augustine Anthony
I remember watching a movie sometime ago in which two friends were engaged in a conversation of a peculiar topic. The woman comes from an ideal family as opposed to the man who is from a family that has gone through indescribable hardship.
In the conversation the woman poses a question to the man,
The woman: If a wolf enters a house of a farmer and takes the farmer’s child away into the woods and eats up the child, do you think the wolf is bad?
The man: The answer depends on the question asked. Since the question is about the character of the wolf, you need to be a wolf yourself to get the right answer.
Perhaps in law one will call this a subjective test rather than an objective test as absolute certainty in human affairs is an unreliable guide thus a dangerous master.
The perception of many, that an alarming number of politicians from the ruling Barisan Nasional Coalition are corrupt beyond redemption is no longer uncommon. However the aftermath of the March 2008 General Election has added an unfortunate and unexpected twist to this stigma associated with the ruling Coalition. With power now concentrated in the hands of Federal Opposition Coalition in some states, even Pakatan Rakyat politicians are now being called the same devils in different cloaks. Loosely we have often heard the phrase “they are politicians and all politicians are the same”.
When my article Acceptance over Tolerance – The severed head of sacred cow, was published in limkitsiang.com, below is what at least one reader commented (in verbatim),
#24 by asra on September 1st, 2009 02:16
“Uncle Lim,
I am suprised why are you working closely with PKR. Everyone knows they are former UMNO members who are frustrated because their leader Anwar was sacked. Anwar when he was in UMNO was also corrupted what assuarance do we have that he wont be the same. When anwar was in UMNO he too made statements about championing the malays. Are we assured that we are going to have a real 1 Malaysia if anwar comes into power. You politicians are all the same because of power you guys can do anything. Make me sick.”
But it had taken a long period of reflection and an honest search from within to understand and admit that the fault lies in people as much as the politicians for having participated in the evolution of a system of governance that is veering out of its original axis of doing good for all.
As long as we have people who are unscrupulous opportunists roaming and seizing every advantage to enrich themselves in every unethical way possible, a government no matter how upright, will find it very hard indeed to implement effective policies for the good of all.
For as long as there are people who are prepared to sell their sacred constitutional rights of voting for even the smallest amount of money, we will continue to see the proliferation of these politicians that our society so often despise.
The allegations of vote buying are rampant during elections and just imagine if all Malaysians are prepared to say ‘no’ to every inducements or vote buying tactics of politicians desperate for votes to secure an election victory, I am sure all of us will have the peace and security of knowing that our parliament will be filled with only honest politicians.
I had been in the company of politicians and I really do not envy the term “Yang Berhormat” as it comes with an assortment of crippling demands and expectations, principal amongst them is the expectation of a sizeable group of people, that all politicians are Santa Claus except that Santa Claus is for Christmas season but politicians are for all seasons.
I have watched politicians in market coffee stalls with the intention of meeting people perhaps to resolve their problems and surrounded by a continuous stream of people. These people order food and drinks, enjoy it and in between rant and rave about all the woes in the country and leave the table but leaving behind the bills for the politicians to pick up.
I have heard politicians’ telephone ringing and yes! It’s another wedding and the third in a week and it must be attended together with a wedding gift befitting of a politician. Is it part of the requirement that politicians must attend every wedding in their constituency? Try saying “I can’t” and watch the withering of the politician’s reputation.
I have seen the invitation cards of social clubs, societies and various organizations where the politician is given the honor to cut the ribbon and yes along with the honor comes the expectation of donation that befits the guest of honor.
I have seen how politicians quiver with uneasiness when some charity dinner organizers call them up to sponsor dinner tables and there are charity dinners everywhere nowadays.
In a month the politicians are confronted by unimaginable financial expectations ranging from donation to temples, providing transportation to children going to school, tuition fees , footing the electricity and water bills, paying car loans of defaulters, even providing personal loans and what not, expected out of politicians’ own pockets.
These are the expectations of the ordinary simpletons who are voters but the appetites of those at the higher levels are somewhat much more voracious and sophisticated.
Many politicians who had entered politics with ideals, had experienced the terrible realities of life as politicians, with some having to live with accusations of corruption to survive the end game whilst others had become very bitter with what had become of them.
There are many outstanding people with a great sense of honor and integrity with a decent lifestyle and financial means which is enough only for their family. These people are great assets to the nation but they usually refuse to enter politics as they are conscious of the fact that there are always people out there who will feast on their flesh and suck on their marrow leaving an empty bone for none to pick.
Politics had become a money game. It is a lonely and desolate road for honorable men and principled politicians. The one with plenty to throw is the toast of the town. No wonder there are people who shamelessly admit that their entry into politics is for business opportunities. In order to throw money to the demanding people, one needs to make the money first. Questionable land acquisitions that displace many poor people to the easy money making prospects in the import of luxury vehicles through AP’s are things that we have heard so often. With this mindset flourishing unsuspectingly, service to self rather than service to the nation is prioritized.
Thus the culture of materialism is imbued as the blue print of the nation. Children nurtured by parents with virtues and characters of intrinsic value and appeal consider politics as gutter and politicians as rats that ply the gutter.
Educationists, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, accountants, other professionals and many social workers including people who are invaluable assets to the nation and who are fit to step into the shoes of politicians had been trampled in the stampede for material prosperity at the expense of values and virtues and they had now rebranded their service to public as members of non governmental organizations, writers and bloggers.
A small number of politicians who steadfastly hold on to their values, principles and ideals are maliciously scorned by powerful but unethical information channels and brutally spurned by a sizeable misled population and some were even forced to endure incarceration then, and still face the same threats and constant harassments from state sanctioned bodies.
The new breeds of politicians have now succumbed to the evils of their masters. Their evil masters are none other than the people with insatiable demands and needs for all the material comforts here and now, potentially leaving nothing for the future generations.
The politicians, who are unable to satisfy the needs of these unreasonable people either give up their service to the nation or give in to corruption, the very trait that they must avoid at all cost.
A deep sense of sadness engulfs watching people entering politics to serve the nation but slowly caving in to every undesirable qualities known to man just for their very survival as politicians who are now twirled in the whirlpool of demands by the people.
With corruption setting in, there is plenty to throw to the ever craving people but with a devastating chain reaction in which the people in power have the opportunity to take plenty more of what should rightfully be the treasures of the nation for the future generations.
Now the nation is confronted with a deeply disturbing question. Are we prepared to engage in excessive and unwarranted enjoyment now and permit our children and grandchildren to carry the cross for our sins?
The cravings of the people for today’s needs and the cravings of the corrupt politicians to hoard the intended reserves of the future generations are not creating a symbiotic and synergistic environment for the prosperity of the nation but for a sure paralysis of the very fabric of our society.
All is not lost. We can still reverse this destructive process.
We can start by treating politicians as policy makers or lawmakers in its strict sense and stop treating them as Santa Claus.
We should be demanding honesty, integrity and competency. We should not be seen either directly or by subtle means demanding handouts that may place financial burden on these politicians or compromise their position of power and authority.
Nobody is infallible and we all know that and can accept that, however for every mistake made we should demand accountability (which simply means acceptance of the mistake and taking responsibility for it) instead of demanding political patronage that will keep us silent and contented.
Many politicians are now at the crossroad between personal honesty and the preservation of their political positions but we do need the modern day Gurkhas in politics too, politicians who are brave enough to confront the people and tell them that the country had come to what it is now not because of the misdeeds of the politicians alone but of the misconducts of the people too.
Nation building is not only the job of politicians but of the people too. None should shirk their responsibilities. Educating people to have a sense of personal pride right down to paying for their own cup of coffee is the real challenge that confronts the successful future politicians. The measure of success will greatly depend on how pleasing the tone of the message in its transmission is and how widely it is accepted.
Yes, the missing equation to the general air of malaise in the body politic of a country can also be attributable to the callous, selfish and irresponsible attitude of the citizenry themselves.
Mr Lim,
You are as cynical of the people as the people are of politicians. We understand everyone is an individual and it takes all kinds to make the world.
We are sure you’ve had your fair share of ugly Malaysians but there are still very many out there that are gentle people. Having said that, we can count on our fingers the number of decent politicians like you whom we can lift our hats off to.
Very many years ago, we were having a meal by a roadside stall when an old Toyota with a MP logo drove up and parked by us. My partner was surprised that an MP was coming for a roadside meal to which I said ‘its got to be an opposition MP’. How did I know? It was a small and dated Toyota, otherwise it would have been a Mercedes and wouldn’t be seen dead where we were. After we finished our meal we decided to pay for the MP and his wife as well. No, the hawker would not hear of it. Its on the house for them!! A trivial bit compared to the great sacrifices that that MP has given the people. But I believe that poor hawker has not gone on to ask for any favours from that MP even though he’s today a Chief Minister!! Have faith, my good sir, there are plenty more nice people out there.
At the same time take heart that faith in our younger generation of politicians is improving particularly with the likes of our Head Prefect and many more in your team. Pray give them the strength like you have.
However, this post sounds so very like the typical BN ministers who without fail will blame the rakyat for giving bribes, being indifferent to snatch thieves etc. Surely how corrupt the country is today cannot solely be the fault of the people? Remember the pagar and the padi? And how things can never get done unless palms are greased? Its them, sir, its them!
Please help us to get rid of those despicable corrupt politicians and we will gladly give you all the respect deserving of a good lawmaker.
And thank you, sir for continuing to do what you’re doing for us all despite all our deficiencies.
Politician’s are the ‘servants’ of the people. In theory, the people are the masters. Now when a servants does something wrong, does the master lament that all servants (politicians) are dirty and they are powerless to change this fact or do they rebuke their servants and demand discipline?
In Malaysia, voters have never been interested in concepts such as ‘ethics’ and ‘rule of law’. Non Malay voters, voted time and time again for MCA and MIC claiming that ‘principles and ideals’ do not put food on the table but BN will ensure we are ‘well fed’ (with development). It didn’t matter if the reps were unscrupulous individuals like Khir Toyo or Muhammadx2. Did Malaysians ever demand honesty from their leaders for the past 30 years? So why whine about it now?
Yes, PR people are humans just like BN people. They are prone to the same temptations and weaknesses that all human beings suffer from. If you want your politicians to be mature and responsible, then the Malaysian people must first act (and vote) maturely and responsibly themselves. Or are Malaysian’s all big babies: always waiting for someone else do things for them? Your politicians and your government is your responsibility. Be responsible for them!
Personally i believe there is still big differences between PR and BN:
A) PR is championing for a fair and responsible government, whereas BN continues to champion development and communal interests. If we continue to support BN’s communal policies Malaysia is dommed (if it isn’t already).
B) BN has had 30+ years of opportunity and as it stands today, it’s track record absolutely stinks. Would you continue to employ an employee that has had only mediocre performance for 30 years or would you be willing to give the new guy a chance? Logically, you would give the new guy a chance. The advantage: you might be pleasantly surprised. The worst, you just change back to the same mediocre employee if the new guy is even worst.
Politics in its current form will always be abused because it allows for too many politicians to be caught up in side issues other than the real purpose of serving the rakyat. The main side issue of course, is the commercial business involved including awarding of huge projects without regard to how the rakyat will benefit.
Pakatan must be brave enough to severe all links to businesses by way of direct and family links to directorship/ownership of companies. Pakatan may take a good look at the Australian model, for example. I am sure the rakyat won’t mind an increase in politicians’ paycheck and EPF contribution in return. All assets are to be declared to Parliament and any politician found in breach must vacate his/her seat.
I have some difficulties following your latest arguments that people are also responsible for corrupted politicians that we see in both sides of the aisle. While it is true that “unscrupulous opportunists can roam and seize every advantage to enrich themselves in every unethical way possible”, it is still up to the politicians, particularly those holding power, to withstand such lobbying. Corrupted politicians may resort to vote buying but my question is can such a practice really makes a significant difference. They can buy some, but they definitely can’t buy all. But if you say that there are many people who are gullible and ignorant and therefore were manipulated into supporting corrupted politicians, I may agree. I must say those who sell their “sacred constitutional rights of voting” do so more out of ignorance rather than money. It is my considered view that many people, particularly those in the rural constituencies, do not know the full implication of their votes. If voters are more aware and educated, vote buying would be ineffective for two reasons. First, they will not accept bribe offered, and second, they could accept and still vote for someone who they think are honest. A dishonest person does not ipso facto want a dishonest government, just like an unjust person does not necessarily want injustice inflicted on others so long as his interest is not affected.
You talked about politicians being saddled with all the bills and donations. First, they have provisions for them. Second, it is really up to the politicians to discern whether or not those expenditures are justified. If politicians have done their job well and serve the majority of the community to the best of his ability, why do they have to worry about “pseudo” NGOs and associations coming to them for this and that. By now, most politicians should know many NGOs and associations were set up solely to get funding for selfish ends. They are part of money siphoning machinery and I believe honest politicians need not be overly concerned with their influence unless they themselves are corrupted and therefore wish to use these bodies to siphon allocations provided by the government.
If honest people have refused to enter politics, the fault lies with the system. Compensate them adequately but have a robust system to ensure they are corruption free. Singapore politicians are generally the most well paid, but I think they are the poorest among the politicians in this region. If we can draw some lesson from here, it is at least the starting point for us to begin the process here. We have so much of animosity with Singapore due to our past and hence we just refuse to learn anything from them. Why look everywhere for solutions when they are available next door. If we want a clean government, that government must begin from day one. It is like a virgin, whether you have it or none of it. I disagree that the misconducts of the people have also contributed to the state of our country today. When Lee Kuan Yew started Singapore, are you saying the Singaporen Chinese are less corrupted than Malaysians? Hello, there is such things are leadership, institutions, system and enforcement. Frankly, I can’t see where your arguments will lead to. In fact, it is even dangerous. You may even inadvertently justify corruption because according to you it is the people’s fault. What nonsense is this?
Correct, correct, correct
It is not cheap to be in politics
To be in politics needs money, lots of money
Ask Chen Shui-bian’s daughter
She once famously yelled “Who in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) does not receive money from us?”
And where does the money come from?
From the sky ah?
Ask Tiong n Ong lah
The RM100,000,000 question
What’s the solution?
Are PR politicians any better or cleaner than BN politicians?
Who is brave to answer?
“First, they will not accept bribed offered, and second, they could accept and still vote for someone who they think are honest” Kamput bin Abullah
should be…..
“First, they should not or accept bribes, and second, they may accept them and may still vote for someone whom they may think are honest”
Having said that…..my comments to the post…are as follows:-
No need to understand so much why ..what ..how come…to understand their unseen difficult lives….this or that.
Do not mix humans behaviors with that of an animal. However..many humans do behave like animals..and humans can easily understand why.
Greed and selfishness are the two major causes…be it.. by voters or politicians winning an election.
Yes Nation building needs Malaysians to co-operate with the government….but we know UMNO loves to divide and rule…have double standards….love race and religion politics.
Educated and patriotic Malaysians have been fighting a lost cause ..since Mahathir took over…and the signs came when Anwar was released from jail..with the 12th GE result…so clear..that Malaysians are able to expose …for or against…no more how to agree to disagree… to survive.
So simple…so clear..vast majority Malaysians have spoken loud and clear.
The message from Augustine Anthony is nice to debate…in countries.. like USA…Britain and most of them.. in Europe.
This message is not practical and logical to Malaysia…Indonesia…Philippines…Thailand..Vietnam…Myammar…where dictators and corrupted buggers have ruled with iron fists…far too long.
It has a touch of a message..asking Malaysians to understand politicians life and their difficulties.
Lim Kit Siang..Guan Eng….Karpal..Anwar went to jail for no reasons…and they are politicians too.
Lets talk about their difficulties.
Bet you…met in kopitiam…..Malaysians will gladly foot the bill..after eating.
Politicians are suppose to be in politics for the love of the people and country.
Get elected ….have the power to do all good…for the people.
To be in politics to get rich…rob and steal…comes a complicate country with problems…created by UMNO all along.
Malaysians have no time to listen to reason..why politicians are this or that.
UMNO is simply too corrupted and evil.
They must be voted out.
At least Malaysians who voted for UMNO do know their mistakes and corrected them.
Those are very encouraging signs.
That matters most.
Cut out the word “or” in my correction to someone..poor english.
//“First, they will not accept bribed offered, and second, they could accept and still vote for someone who they think are honest” Kamput bin Abullah
should be…..
“First, they should not or accept bribes, and second, they may accept them and may still vote for someone whom they may think are honest”//monster loud mouth
You stupid ass, first you can’t even quote properly and second you don’t even understand high level english. so just shut your moronic mouth. Please do us a favour, disappear from here for good.
In good WRITTEN english..one should not use ‘can’t”.
It should be “cannot”.
Asking me….to disappear from this blog…is a sign of gila gila…no sense of proportion at all.
You are one of the most incoherent, incorrigible and inept ass here. I challenge you to write the stupid stuff you wrote above (#8) in continuous prose. If you can do so in 10 minutes (I will wait here), I shall leave this blog for good. If not, you leave for good.
///I have watched politicians in market coffee stalls with the intention of meeting people perhaps to resolve their problems and surrounded by a continuous stream of people. These people order food and drinks, enjoy it and in between rant and rave about all the woes in the country and leave the table but leaving behind the bills for the politicians to pick up.///
I believe this only happens to BN component party members where the grassroots and their leaders have come to the understanding that politics is for making money, or for taking advantage of national resources. The lowest rung politicians do their part of supporting and in the process they get their food and drink, and pocket money too. The process moves upwards to state and federal level, and the higher one moves, the more opportunity he has for money making. That is money politics not purely in hard cash. The reason for such practices is that leaders of political parties are selected on pyramid basis, and those active at the basic branch level get rewarded by organizing political activities, and God knows what good they do to the society, the economy, or the unity in the country. The over active political involvement takes away hours that could be utilised for productive purposes. Worse, the sinecure of walking and talking brings more rewards than working hard on the job they did well. The problem lies in the way political parties are organized, particularly in the selection or election of the leaders who eventually administer the country.
UMNO has the winner-takes-all mentality and experience, and because the wealth of the nation is at UMNO disposal, it was able to continue to bankroll the activities of its two million members. With that they have achieved the success of getting dogs elected, if dogs had been fielded for general elections. UMNO will not go into any reform because the citizens Malay included pay for the benefits of its members, and together with threat of racial violence UMNO had convincing victory even in the so-called 308 tsunami. In a small way MCA leaders had until recently been copying UMNO formula though they cannot claim to have confidence in general elections. The decision by the OTK to go to the root of PKFZ drew immediate ‘revelation’ by MP Tiong from Bintulu. Interestingly, the money was said to be paid to Ong only recently after PKFZ scandals have been in the news for some time. If I were Ong, I would take the money as attempted bribery to keep and store it as evidence for future reference. Quite obviously, the contribution was not intended to see MCA grow but to assess whether further probe might be forthcoming. It should be the right strategy to keep the money as proof, to prevent other more drastic attempts at silencing the scandals. We do not know whether Tiong told the facts of money transfer, or was he helping to muddle the MCA’s efforts to rid the party of scandal-ridden leader.
If the government considers its responsibility as serving the people without first satisfying its divide and rule objectives, they should be able to get elected based on their performance. There would then be no requirement to depend on captured vote banks. They would not require to buy votes for election and to bend government rule to buy support through practicing doubles standards.
When the government would not tell the people that they should harvest what they sow, but emphasize that they should unite for race, religion which is translated as voting back the people in power on a divide and rule basis, politics will remain a means of living for the people of the major race albeit at different degree of dependence. Money politics will be here to stay and corruption is indispensible to the system.
Very well said Loh.
Another by-election in Penang coming soon.. with the death of a 54 years old UMNO parliamentarian. May his soul rest in peace.
A moron not only talking nonsense, now also giving wrong facts, pathetic.
Lim Kam Put says:
Frankly, I can’t see where your arguments will lead to. In fact, it is even dangerous. You may even inadvertently justify corruption because according to you it is the people’s fault. What nonsense is this?
It does seem like the writer is trying to justify the politicians’ behavior or misbehavior.
That said, I must admit that the article is an eye-opener; to me, at least.
Just recently a friend of mine sent me a text message: “I have joined PKR as a life member. Would you also like to join?” I replied: “No. Politics is too distressing to the spirit.” That does not mean I am apolitical. I follow the political news closely and cast my votes wisely.
Most people I believe do not even attend political ceramahs (and that goes for me too), let alone wanting to free-load at the expense of the politician.
It is a politicians job to convince the people that what he stands for will be good for the welfare of the people and nation. But if the politician has to succumb to “bribery” to secure the votes, then I say he he does not have the stuff to be a leader and I will not vote for such a person.
I wait for the day when our youngsters will change their perception of the politicians as gutter rats to being worthy leaders.
I read a Malaysiakini.com news about the explanation given by Wijaya Baru’s Deputy CEO, Faizal Abdullah (an Umno Division chairman), on why no billing had been made to Dato Seri Ong Tee Keat for Ong’s 4 times hiring the civil aviation flight charter services provided by Wijaya Baru Aviation. A damn stupid reason has been cited by Faizal Abdullah. He said that it was because the service provided by Wijaya Baru Aviation to Ong Tee Keat was not meant for profit-making and the intended claims purportedly be issued to Ong Tee Keat were only meant to recover back the fuel costs incurred by Wijaya Baru Aviation so that no billing was done so far. No billing was done from the part of Wijaya Baru Aviation simply because Faizal Abdullah did not know how to issue bills to Ong Tee Keat.
From Faizal Abdullah’s stupid explanation, we can safely make a good guess on two possibilities which may be happening in Wijaya Baru Group:
1) Either Faizal Abdullah is telling a big lie, or
2) Faizal Abdullah is an incompetent Deputy CEO of a big corporation such as Wijaya Baru Aviation.
From my personal work experience, I can guarantee that within 15 minutes, I can effectively teach my 18 years’ old accounts clerk to issue a debit note on any transaction which is deemed to be a claim because of making a payment on behalf of someone. If Wijaya Baru Aviation had already pumped fuel into its aircrafts on behalf of Ong Tee Keat because the aircrafts were to be lent to Ong Tee Keat on friendly Free of Charge basis, then why is it so difficult for Faizal Abdullah to figure out that what he really needed to do was to ask his girl Friday to issue a DEBIT NOTE to Ong Tee Keat to claim reimbursement of fuel costs paid on behalf of Ong Tee Keat from the account of Wijaya Baru Aviation?
That clearly shows us how inferior the management quality is! And the inferior management quality has been coming from an Umno Division Chairman who is given a high rank-and-file post of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of a related company of a Bursar Malaysia quoted business group, namely the Group of Companies of Wijaya Baru Global Berhad!
Is it a safe investment choice if we are to buy the shares of any politically-linked companies in Bursar Malaysia in view of the poor management quality which we may find with the Umno-politician-turned-manager working in those companies?
It is never a good investment choice to pick politically linked listed companies. The real profits have actually gone to private limited companies which later sell whatever they have at market price or higher to the listed companies they control.
Loh’s explanation in comment #19 is not easy for a layman to visualize but for those who have accounting knowledge, I would suggest that it will be much easier to understand by calling such a money-siphoning exercise a cheating practice by way of inflated transfer-pricing through the transaction of selling private individual assets, which have been put first under the control of the company managing director through the use of a nominee holder of the assets, at a highly inflated price to the great advantage of the private individual seller and to the great disadvantage of the buyer, namely the Bursar Malaysia quoted company!
This day light robbing method of inflated transfer-pricing is a commonly used money stealing method in a loosely controlled and loosely governed business organization!
Umno has perfected the money-siphoning art
And the use of faceless nominee holders
Money siphoned into so many Umnoputras and their cronies
Just look at their life styles and palaces that they live in and own all over the world
During divorce cases, we read the immense wealth exposed by their spouses
And yet these millionaire and billionaire Umnoputras cry wee wee wee all the way to the Parliament and complain that the Malays belum ada 30% of the national wealth
Nak tipu siapa