The world of leadership-learning teaches us the mantras of “Talk the walk” and “Walk the talk”. But how much of this truly applies when it comes to our leaders within the BN camp?
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – fondly regarded as plain “Saudara” Anwar Ibrahim, is indeed an icon of promising, refreshing hope. In particular, his recent statement in public that he would only reside in his existing house - bought with his own slogging, instead of holing up in the sprawling extravagance of the official Prime Minister’s residence in Putrajaya – built and maintained at sinfully obscene, public's costs, deserves more than mere commendation.
He also alluded to the “Tok Guru” Menteri Besar of Kelantan who has lived all through his leadership of the state of Kelantan in a humble and ordinary yet inspiring home and lifestyle. The fact that the Kelantanese people till this date are ever returning the honorable seat of the Menteri Besar without debate to this leader, who leads and lives by example, is therefore no surprise and serves to be most edifying.
DSAI’s assurance of where he will live if he gets to the PM’s seat is a truth that every citizen can easily relate with and it drives home a great sense for everyone who knows, believes and upholds the tested and proven time immemorial wisdom of ‘Leadership by example’.
Principles of leadership need to be redefined after BN's abuse
Indeed, for a small nation that is still uncertain of ever arriving at the doorstep of a ‘developed’ world status – given its precariousness in the social, political and environmental paradigms, are we not witnessing far too many instances, examples and truths that clearly speak volumes of extravagance, opulence and exclusivity when it comes to leadership in this country?
After enjoying the spoils gotten from what rightfully belonged to society and from the soil and toil of citizens, our leaders are known to retire into their favorite past-times - including operating high-end bakeries. They do not see the self-worth of working for the just cause of down-trodden humanity, charity, foundations or even converting their experience and knowledge for the well being of the poor, the way-laid and the down trodden.
It is now or never.
We need to re-appraise the sitz-im-laben. We need to be honest with the reality of the times. Are all the great monuments and maligais of any worth to a nation that can easily struggle at the slightest tremor of global economic waves and financial cascades?
Take the very meager cash handouts of the BN leadership to the rakyat in the wake of the spiraling living costs these days. Are these not an affirmation that Malaysians are not well off?
When we still have to depend on excessive excise car duties to keep a few thousand citizens in employment and a national badge fluttering, why are our leaders wasting the country’s wealth paying for the upkeep of these obscenely expensive and sprawling dwellings and structures for the pleasure and enjoyment of those within the power corridors?
When even to this date, despite raking in oil profits for decades, we see BN talking about wanting to review the outstanding and long overdue proportion to the poor and marginalized oil-rich states whereas much of that money has gone for the upkeep, enjoyment and parading of leaders who profess to be in power and therefore qualify for the gains.
Scholarships for education and loans taken as well as the cost being shouldered by the working class population are a yoke that every working class parent struggles with nightmares. But we witness the leaders within BN being allocated huge sums of the national budget that goes towards sprucing up, decorating and maintaining their near empty and haunting spaces that serve as their places of work, or dwelling and even entertaining partying.
Man on the street is suffering while the ruling elite luxuriate
We could have easily, at lower costs, spruced up the legacy of buildings and infrastructures left behind by the colonial masters of bygone eras and worked the oil money to improve the per capita income of citizens through the building of knowledge capital and skills competencies of its citizens.
But instead we chose to spend all these wealth for the enrichment and pleasure of who’s who within the BN leadership camp and have ended up debating till this time and without resolve on what should be the minimum wage margin of the working class. How pathetic!
Citizens have to pay to drink a glass of water at the warongs. Why? Because the government cannot afford to give treated, ready to drink tap water for free anymore – something that was achievable right up to the times of Tun Hussein Onn.
But witness the huge amounts spent on electricity bills, water bills, landscaping and housekeeping expenditures just to provide a seemingly tasteful dwelling and place of work for our leaders of these past three decades.
We are not able to enjoy a reliable, practical, networked and affordable public transport system. But the priority was to build grand dwellings for the world to see and the leaders to parade within.
Wealth creates more wealth - for Umno & its cronies!
The argument dished out has been ‘wealth creates more wealth’. But for whom? Has all these wealth creation agendas improved the working class and slogging citizens? Listen the entire population is in debt mate – from housing loon to car loan to motor vehicle loan, to study loan to credit card loan and not forgetting the ‘Ahlong’ loans.
What good does it serve the man and woman working without a promising future – even without an assurance that they can retire without having to take up a “jaga’s job” while awaiting death in old age, when the nation’s wealth flows into the playground of leaders and for the pleasure viewing of camera touting tourists?
Is it then a crime to agree that it is time to re-invent our future; is it a sin to then believe that it is time to re-build a flawed past?
Should leadership not subscribe to the eternal principles and best practice standards of “walk the talk” and “talk the walk”?
And therefore a salute to DASI for his leadership by example statement – indeed it is a defining moment of truth. It is time to think. And thoughts must promote right action. Only then can that ‘feel good’ factor become a lasting reality.
MAILBAG
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