What Was The Hubbuh All About?

So finally all bow to the Ruler's decree and choice for the Selangor State Secretariat. And that puts a question behind everyone’s mind, ‘what was all the fuss about?’, if at the end of the day, the Ruler’s decision cannot be challenged, even if some may claim the Ruler does not wield any power.

Beneath the gentlemanly behaviour in the court hall and smiles that we see on TV during the oath taking ceremony before the Ruler, one wonders if they are genuine at all and the matter is finally laid to rest.

But knowing our unpredictable BolehLand, even dead fellos laid to rest does not bring peace for the living soul and even the living. So one can rightly foretell that the issue is very much alive.

Already, even after the ceremony and before the seats have cooled off, the controversies are erupting again.

And this time over chronology of events on knowledge about the federal government’s choice to reaction from the Pakatan government in naming the candidate.

Both sides seem to be giving their ‘official’ official version on the appointment and who is the public supposed to believe as telling the truth? There cannot all be true or false at the same time? So someone or one side is lying?

And given the polemics of Malay politics, that the royalty and royal house is impeccable and faultless, it is a taboo and considered committing sedition of the highest order if anyone hints that their version is anything but the truth and the whole truth with respect to the palace's version, right?

So who is really being dishonest, lying and trying to mislead everyone in the appointment of the SS? Those who knew they have enough lead time of three months to propose their name but did nothing until the last minute? Or, those who knew PSD’s choice well before hand but choose to keep silent? Or those who know at the end of the day defying the Ruler’s consent is tantamount to disrespect and likely face political backlash at the next election?

The Ruler is above politics but the PSD and CS could have lowered their hardened stand and allowed for further consultation with the State government, no? After all, isn't the CS and civil servants supposed to be experts in management and administration to know you need a bunch of fellos who can work together at the top level to set an example to the lower ranks, right?

Shifting through the many versions and even if one cites the legal provisions in your face, the general view is the different governments of the day have shown that they CANNOT WORK TOGETHER. Even if the Chief Secretary and PSD will want to justify they act independently given the legislative provisions, does not the CS often takes directive from the No1? Did not No1 prompt the CS to open dialogue to resolve it than to involve the palace and in the process create all kinds of misunderstanding and confirm sideline voters perhaps that the federal government is still playing a ‘dirty game’ to do a Perak fiasco in Selangor?

No1 could have requested the CS to ensure that protocol is at least observed even if the letter of the law dispenses with conventional wisdom and tradition. Why is it in this case, we are using the legislation to show the cold side of the supposedly inclusive, changed and professional face of the federal government that it has often times these days assured the people to give a cold shoulder treatment to an elected State Government.

Why is it that it has became an ‘all or nothing’, ‘no giving chance and ‘too bad you lose I win’ kind of game both sides seem to want to play?

Perhaps our leaders are not schooled enough in leadership or management where you try and have a team that can work together than each side being suspicious of one’s intention, however noble and truthful it can be?

The civil servant make themselves masters unto themselves and is supposed to serve the government of the day. But do we think, the civil servant, so entrenched with one form of ‘top down’, ‘talked down’ and ‘saya yang menurut perintah’ style of leadership and administration is able to change mode or want to when a new government of the day is elected by the people

Even if the present crisis is bringing to surface the real role of the cs, the civil service have long lost sight of their original mission. Are they giving the same kind of ‘blind’ and ‘mindless’ support to the new administration as they had to the last in Pakatan controlled states? Or are they wishing for the return of the ‘the tarik’ sessions and apathetic ‘tidak apa’ attitude of the previous administration because the new administration's way of doing things are different from before?

The federal government should take the most share of the blame for the present fiasco because it has the power to advise the CS to find a suitable candidate agreeable to both sides. If the cs still want to assert their independence and adopt the attitude ‘we are more professionals and too bad it’s your problem’, then they can test it on BN administered States by appointing top posts where they can do so without consulting the Chief Minister or even the No1 leader.

Say in Terengganu? Now, won’t that be a real test if the CS is independent and not being bias as perceived by those who don’t buy the civil service argument of its independence or professionalism in the case of Selangor?

The aftermath of this incident is the civil service will never be able to erase itself of the stigma that another supposedly independent institution have played politics when it should not, huh?

So the oath taking is finished and if the CM of Selangor refuses to allow the SS to take the oath of secrecy before him, does it also not tantamount to disobeying the Ruler's command? Hmmm, rather than lay the case to rest, Pakatan may be hammering their own nail in their coffin which will be even more painful and detrimental to their survival than the CS for having shot himself in the foot for trying to show assert his independence.

And the losers in this fiasco, everyone really, huh?

courtesy of YAHMEH!!!