Time to rein in our politicians with new yardsticks

 

From JD Lovrenciear

For far too long, we have silently accepted our politicians as God-sent and surrendered the right of way to them.

For a long time, too, we seem to have been told repeatedly that we citizens must and are to be beholden to our politicians regardless of their failings, misdemeanours, and even guilt.

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Today, as we share on social media the shocking evidence and grievances of how our politicians have been riding roughshod over us and the largely naive population, it is time to pull the brakes on our politicians.

The time has come for a great reset of politics in Malaysia and it must begin with new yardsticks to get politicians to measure up to standards needed to rebuild and take the nation towards the new world order.

To begin with, as is the norm and prerequisite for all other vocations, politicians must have relevant, appropriate and recognised qualifications to enter the profession.

Gone are the days when only the gift of the gab and claims of mesmerising unsuspecting citizens or being well-oiled and connected within the corridors of power were sufficient for a politician to get elected, appointed, and to lord over us.

If the nation is serious about its competitive future and nurturing a progressive society, then we must ensure that politicians take mandatory sabbatical leave to go back to school to constantly upgrade their knowledge, capacity, and in the delivery of services towards nation-building.

We must hold our politicians accountable to standards that are critical for the development of our people and the country.

Hence, a key performance index (KPI) for politicians must be enforced and perhaps even passed in parliament to ensure it has a binding effect.

If there are established practices of ensuring delivery and performance to regulate all the other professions, is it not right and overdue to put in place similar measurements for politicians?

We have had over six decades of self-governance. It is about time to upgrade a long forgotten and shelved report card and entry-level qualifications needed to enter and continue in the field of politics, respectively.

It is also time to end our “jaguh kampung” from needling their way through the conduits of power and overstaying in their expired thrones of appointments.

There should be a national policy that those who fail to meet set standards are sacked unceremoniously.

We have never failed to raise the remuneration and perks of politicians as we believed that paying peanuts will only bring in the monkeys. But despite all the salary revisions, additional perks, privileges and even giving our politicians the world’s biggest Cabinet, we have not seen our lives improve.

Hence, I am of the opinion – and certain that millions more will agree – the time has come, though a little too late, for us to have qualified politicians to lead us.

It is time to ensure that politicians, like any or all other professionals, execute their roles and responsibilities according to a measurable yardstick of standards.

We need to shift from the widely held but flawed perception that politicians are doing the nation a favour.

In fact, it is time to get our politicians to be beholden to the eternal truth that it is the people who appointed or elected them to have the opportunity to serve and excel.

I hope Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who seems to be relentlessly championing the “Keluarga Malaysia” concept, will take on this challenge to reinvent, reset and nurture the way forward in order for Malaysia to start rebuilding from its long, fallen grace. - FMT

JD Lovrenciear is an FMT reader.

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