Let down by our leaders

 

It is not just the ministers and members of the Malay elite who insult our intelligence. Leaders of the various “persatuans” (associations), who are supposed to champion the rakyat’s interests, have also failed us.

Current and former leaders and professionals who are members of various organisations representing their trade, like the civil service, academia, social welfare groups, businessmen, lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers and policemen, are all complicit in Malaysia’s mess.

These associations will invite ministers to their annual publicity events, take group photographs and engage in friendly banter. Some of their leaders will end up receiving awards and titles, but when there are issues involving the people, they keep silent. Why?

They are afraid to upset the government and risk their chances of being nominated for further awards, like a Datukship. This is how mercenary-like many leaders in the various professions have become.

These individuals can make a difference but they put power and position (even in retirement) before the well-being of the people they represent.

There are many issues that leaders of associations can highlight and try to resolve, or persuade the government to improve upon, but in many cases, there has been a shocking conspiracy of silence.

Take, for example, the case of the teenage student who complained about rape jokes allegedly made by a male teacher. Did the various teachers’ unions and parents’ groups demand an urgent investigation and sacking of the teacher, if he was found guilty?

After a policeman said the student who made the rape joke allegation could not take a joke, members of the police association should have supported the student and denounced their dismissive colleague.

A teacher who allegedly groomed and sexually assaulted a few primary pupils was transferred to a rural posting. The teachers’ groups were afraid to speak up against one of their own. Parents’ associations also did not demand that the alleged abusive teacher be sacked and prosecuted. The silence of the teachers and parents had been worrying.

Last week, finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s statement that the government had replaced the Proton Perdana 2.4 as the official ministerial car with the Toyota Vellfire  received a public backlash. Irresponsible leaders want us to obey them when they tell us to tighten our belts, but not to imitate their behaviour. Why do they keep insulting our intelligence?

And this week, the home ministry said there was no basis for the former IGP’s “cartel of dirty cops” claim. If he had lied, why has he not been punished? Why are former cops and the police “persatuan” silent on his allegation? Did the home minister think we would easily forget?

We did not vote for the current crop of politicians and some of them do not deserve to be ministers. Many are not leaders and do not have the courage to make tough decisions.

Recently, convicted felons and allegedly corrupt leaders have been given the go-ahead to travel overseas. Malaysians are wondering if the allegation that justice comes with a price tag is true.

When corrupt and convicted leaders have their passports given back to them to go overseas (even temporarily), and seized luxury items and cash returned to their supposed “owners”, what does that tell us? When politics is involved, justice flies out the window. - FMT

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