It’s a shame we don’t know what shame is

 

Shame is a very powerful human emotion. When experienced with integrity and in the right spirit, it leads to a period of introspection, critical analysis of the reasons why one felt that shame in the first place and then remedial measures to ensure that one does not experience that unpleasant emotion again!

Being a surgeon, should a patient that I have operated on die, the first emotion that hits me is shame.

Not disappointment, not anger, not even a sense of resignation that the death occurred despite the team’s best efforts. I feel shame that I let my patient down. Shame that I let the family down. Shame that I destroyed the dreams and aspirations of his or her children. And shame that for the following couple of days at least, people would, innocently or otherwise, stop me along the hospital corridors and give me that knowing kind of look as if to hint that I had done something unpardonable.

Malaysia is a blessed country. Good location, an abundance of resources, a warm and friendly climate, freedom from large scale natural disasters and a generous, intelligent, compassionate population. But will blessings alone take our country forward!

Look around us. People who are alleged to have or who actually have committed serious offences still strut around like peacocks. No shame.

People have no qualms flaunting their ill-gotten wealth while a vast majority of Malaysians, especially during this pandemic, are struggling to make ends meet. No shame.

People twist and turn facts, figures, opinions and mentality to continue sitting in the halls of power. No shame.

And people fan the flames of doubt, suspicion, anger and resentment using tools that are actually designed to unite to divide and conquer. No shame.

We seem to walk our country’s roads oblivious to the fact that we should actually be resurfacing them for our children in a better Malaysia. And their children.

It is time that we, ordinary citizens of Malaysia, the “rakyat”, took stock of our country’s journey.

1. Have we achieved the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that we set ourselves as a nation?
2. Are we in a sound financial position?
3. Have we charted the career paths and goals for the next generation of Malaysians?
4. Are we doing enough to protect, maintain and improve the physical, social, mental and emotional well-being of our people?
5. Is there a sound, sustainable succession plan in place to groom the next generation of young, brave, dynamic leaders?

In my mind, the answer to all the above questions is a resounding NO. Shame!

Maybe the time is ripe for all Malaysians to explore and embrace this powerful human emotion called shame. Experienced holistically, it can only make us a better people, a better nation. Sadly a whole lot of us do not seem to even know what shame is.

What a shame!

Dr Venugopal Balchand is a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and a FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.