Merdeka: Time for old faces to fade, young politicians to shine

 

As we celebrate 64 years of Merdeka, one of the biggest lamentations is the dearth of quality leaders. We simply do not have leaders of the stature of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak Hussein or Hussein Onn.

What we have are largely self-serving politicians or politicians who see themselves as a champion of their particular race or religion. But, whenever it is expedient, they give the impression that they are the leaders of all Malaysians and that whatever they do is for the welfare of the people.

The voting public is wise and doesn’t believe this anymore. And that is why a good number of them voted for a new beginning by electing the Pakatan Harapan coalition in 2018. However, the empire struck back and now the parties that lost in the general election are heading the government.

I don’t know whether to consider this a tragedy or a comedy.

I believe many of us are uninspired by most if not all of the leaders of the various parties today; certainly not by those named to the Cabinet by new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Aug 27.

Take Umno, its president and several other leaders are facing corruption charges and its former president has, in fact, been convicted of corruption. Although one is innocent until proven guilty, politics is largely about perception and the perception is that the party is tainted.

PAS is led by an ancient leader who is content with saying the same things over and over again, some of which are unpalatable in a multireligious, multiracial nation of people.

The young party Bersatu is largely made up of old former Umno members and the Umno DNA is still clearly evident in its leaders, including Muhyiddin Yassin. Born in 1947, Muhyiddin joined Umno in 1971 and became MP for Pagoh in 1978. Following the infamous Sheraton Move, he managed to be appointed prime minister in March 2020.

However, karma dealt him a blow when Umno pulled the rug from under him earlier this month, giving him the dubious distinction of being the shortest serving prime minister of the nation.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the man who was instrumental in founding Bersatu but was then kicked out by Muhyiddin, went on to form Pejuang. He has been in politics for ages and at the age of 95 still harbours the desire to lead the nation for a third time.

What does it say about the quality of leaders in the country when a 95-year-old man is still considered prime minister material by a good number of voters? I fail to understand what he can now achieve that he was unable to achieve in his first term of 22 years and second term of 22 months as prime minister.

PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, who was born in 1947, has been in politics since 1982 when he was elected MP for Permatang Pauh. And like his former boss in government Mahathir, he too wants to be prime minister but, unlike the former, has been unlucky so far.

However, like Mahathir, he has a strong will and hasn’t given up hope.

Over at the DAP, Lim Guan Eng, who was born in 1960 and became a MP in 1986, still holds court. If Umno is seen as a party riddled with corruption and cronyism, the DAP is viewed as arrogant. Guan Eng and his father Lim Kit Siang have, between them, been in charge of the party for decades.

The leadership of Amanah, a breakaway party from PAS, is also led by old faces.

Even in Sarawak, we largely have older men at the helm of the various parties. Abang Johari Openg, who heads Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, was born in 1950 and has been an elected representative since 1981, while Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Jemut Masing has been an assemblyman since 1983.

In Sabah, Warisan leader Shafie Apdal, born in 1956, has been an MP since 1995.

Only MUDA, as its name implies, has a young politician – Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman – as its leader. He is 29.

An increasing number of Malaysians, even many older people, are tired of the same old faces and their same old politics.

Certainly, there are some competent and clean leaders below age 65 in some parties but they have not been given an opportunity to shine. It’s time they moved out of the shadows.

But what about younger leaders? Khairy Jamaluddin has proven his ability in delivering on the current Covid-19 vaccination programme, while Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Gobind Singh Deo and Yeoh Bee Yin did well as ministers during PH’s 22 months in office.

It’s time for young politicians such as Shahril Hamdan, Shahar Abdullah, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Rafizi Ramli, Hannah Yeoh, Steven Sim Chee Keong, Kasthuri Patto, Kelvin Yii and Fahmi Fadzil to be given the trust to replace some of the older politicians in the top hierarchy of their respective parties.

It is also time for those of us in Peninsular Malaysia to support capable politicians from Sabah and Sarawak who wish to play a central role in national politics, even as prime minister.

A paradigm shift is needed for Malaysia to regain at least some of its past glory as an example for other nations. It cannot happen so long as the same old faces are around. It cannot happen so long as politicians continue to play the same tiring political tune. It’s time for a more upbeat, fresh tune, which only the young can provide.

Here’s a Merdeka wish: May younger, more competent and fresh faces rise to positions of power and govern this nation in such a way that everyone will be proud to fly the Malaysian flag. - FMT

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