Pak Lah, just get the job done
Malaysiakini.com
Jul 8, 2008
KJ John

I agree whole-heartedly with Citizen Nades’ core thesis in
MCPX
the Sun (July 7): that the third force of society often called the social sector, is fed up, tired and dismayed by the lack of leadership integrity in the government of the day. So, with Nades, I too sound my word of advice to Pak Lah.

Please be single minded and focused on the task at hand and ahead. Ignore the noises around you and get on with the task. The people originally gave you a 94% mandate; now, we reduced it to a 51% mandate. You are still in charge; the mandate is yours, and just do not fail. The BN is not about ready to collapse. Umno still has confidence in you. Why are you then so double-minded about leading the country to integrate with integrity? Our number one problem today is not corruption or even the lack of integrity: It is the lack of political will to lead this nation into true justice and righteousness.

The Sun's cover story is called the "Graft toll." It describes how Hong Kong led their war on corruption and have subsequently and effectively won this war. I am told that they first came to Malaysia and modeled their Anti-corruption laws after ours. Today they are a shining example and model of anti-corrupt good governance. In the same article however, I was rather dismayed to read the comments of the ACA chief of Malaysia saying that Hong Kong is only a small island compared to Malaysia. The same has always been our argument against Singapore. It is however a very flawed argument, if any.

I remember that the former KTM chief Ishak Tadin was once asked by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, during his first five years as prime minister, "Why does Malaysia not have a public transport system as good as the Singapore one?" To which this exemplary and courageous PTD officer of the older value system replied: "Because Mr Lee Kuan Yew wants it, and we can if you want it, we can too." More than 20 years later, we still only have a decrepit public transport system; and we continue to argue, it is because Singapore is a small island. Political will and intent define both the requisite skill and strategy and energies required to win any war. Malaysia cannot win the war against corruption because we simply do not have the will to want to win it! The ACA chief is just one example.

Whether it is the very corruptible BN or the now-being tested PR; they are only organisations. Being an organisational theorist, I would argue that both can only be as good as their weakest link in the chain. That is all management of any system can do. But new leadership is always able to define new traits and values which are pertinent and important for new directions. We the people, misread that Pak Lah may have had that new directional leadership skills, ability and will. Therefore we gave him a mandate that we never gave anyone else; not even Mahathir at his best! But he too has equally failed us and therefore, we the people, gave him the worst bashing that BN has ever been given.

'We're neither dumb nor stupid'

As Nades wrote, the citizens are neither dumb nor stupid; they know very well what is happening and we are watching carefully. They want a two-party democracy for check and balances but not at any cost. They can get very tired of the mud-slinging politics and we may even be able to rise to an even higher new occasion, if needed. We could request the Council of Rulers to intervene and ask of true and real justice.

So, I pray that both parties and both sets of governments and leaders do not take the third sector for granted. We are marginalised in the day-to-day administration but we will never be fully marginalised ever again. Once every five years we will exercise our discretion and vote wisely every time. That is our promise; as representative voices of the third sector. We are not specifically organized to participate in political parties or because we choose not to; and not because we do not know how either.

Therefore my appeal to our dear prime minister is to please be a good and better steward of the leadership of this nation. Please be single minded and please make integration with integrity your only important agenda. I believe you can do it; because Lee Kuan Yew can do it for Singapore and because HK Anti-Corruption Commission can do it for Hong Kong. We have two models to choose from. Since Mahathir failed in following the LKY good model, I suggest that you simply and blindly follow the Hong Kong model. And, if the ACA chief is not up to the task; I bet there are others out there who are more willing and able to fulfill the task; Yong Poh Kon would be an able and credible person also for the job.

So dear Pak Lah, as I complained to your yet un-tabled Integrity Special Committee of the last Parliament; what we severely lack in the Malaysian Public services is leadership integrity. If the AG and the IGP are tainted individuals, as implied by a recent statutory declaration, and as was your previous ACA chief or the former chief justice; maybe it is time to suspend all of them who are tainted and let us get on with the task to running this nation; which has the greatest potential in the world to become a miracle economy and society and an wonderful example of excellent governance of development over the last 50 years.

Golden opportunity

abdullah ahmad badawi polling day vote 080308 05Power corrupts and absolute power did corrupt the BN; but, you sir, have a golden opportunity in the next four years and six months to change all that. I believe you can; your mother thought you can, you late wife believed you can and we the people are willing to give you one last chance. Just be focused and single-minded and please do what the Almighty has already laid upon your heart: Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang.

These are big words and they should not ring hollow. Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah were also big and unfulfilled promises. You have the opportunity of a life-time and for eternity to leave a positive legacy for the sake of the Almighty. Then maybe you have given substance to your Islam Hadhari’s espoused theory. Islam Hadhari must become real and visible for all to see; otherwise it cannot become more than a slogan.

Allow me, sir, to conclude with a passage from the book of Corinthians, wherein Apostle Paul wrote to the then young Church there and admonished them to seek the most excellent way. I think the message is relevant for us today:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish things behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now we know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Dear Pak Lah, please take us on the governance hijrah from KL to Putrajaya; otherwise Putrajaya will remain only an infrastructure monument of the power of those times! May God continue to protect and preserve Malaysia.

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