Some young politicians are groping in the dark

 

We have often heard of the need for senior politicians to retire at a certain age in order to give younger leaders a chance to be at the forefront.

The idea of giving way to younger leaders is not a universal rule that applies in all situations, but allowing the young to take the lead will surely benefit the parties or organisations they are involved in.

Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Of late, I am actually quite disappointed with some young politicians whom I would not hesitate to describe as “pathetically childish”.

It seems that they are groping in the dark, have nothing original to say but repeating the same rhetoric and offering nothing of value to issues they brought up in the public sphere.

Seriously, they fall way below my expectation of up-and-coming leaders, people able to take over the seniors and provide sound, strong and cohesive leadership to the organisation.

When one youth leader was recently reprimanded for his confrontational remark against an ally, he quickly and conveniently shifted the blame elsewhere. Isn’t this reaction typical of a jellyfish-type person with no backbone and nothing much or anything new to offer?

Perhaps, they were not ready to hold a position of responsibility in the party in the first place. Or they were not up to the level yet where they could speak confidently and decisively on their party’s behalf.

Years ago, I was among those advocating a 10-year limit (two five-year terms) for a lawmaker, whether it’s a state assemblyperson or a member of Parliament. The reason being that if a politician genuinely wants to serve the people, then after 10 years of public service, he or she would be ready to call it a day.

Ask those involved in voluntary and charity work and non-governmental organisations. How tiring and difficult it must have been to carry the burden of voluntarism and giving without expecting anything in return.

After 10 long years, one would be physically, mentally and even financially exhausted. Those who have been through that gruelling experience would surely know what I’m talking about.

Guess it’s not the same in politics. Politicians will find it difficult to give up power once they have tasted it. When you are a minister, it is so very difficult to give up the lucrative salary and perks that come along with the position.

So, you can expect politicians, particularly those in power, to fight tooth and nail to secure their position as long as possible; even till their deathbed.

Senior politicians will always declare that they are ready to give way to younger people to take the lead. But let’s be honest about it; more often than not, it’s merely lip service.

Yeah, just look around us. Those way past their 70s are still hanging around, thinking that their “able leadership and great service” are still needed.

Many of them believe they are indispensable and after serving five or six terms as an elected rep, would still insist to be fielded.

Worse, when the time finally dawns for them to go, they would insist that their children or other family members be their replacements. Nepotism is a common noun in politics.

Ready to pass the baton

When you still hang around between 70 and 80, your next generation will be in their 50s. I don’t think you can be considered young or youth at 50. At this stage, your grandkids are considered the young ones.

By that time, if the grandchildren are keen on a political career, I doubt they would be interested to learn anything from their politician grandparents.

How many of our youths today really take their grandparents’ advice seriously? Most would consider the elderly “outdated and out of touch with the youths of today”.

My point is this. Senior politicians should be ready to pass the baton to the next generation, not to the generation of their grandchildren. By then, the age gap would be too wide to manage.

Indeed, the knowledge and experience gained over time by seniors hold immense value. By passing this wisdom to the young, we ensure that valuable insights, lessons learned, and historical context are not lost. It allows them to build upon past achievements and avoid repeating past mistakes.

Unfortunately, all this seems to be lost in transition if recent episodes involving our so-called youth leaders are any indication.

First, we heard of one youth leader requesting a new ally in government to apologise for their past actions. Hello, what an idiotic demand!

This young fellow is probably not aware that in politics, opposition parties condemn and slander each other all the time. It’s the name of the game.

Notwithstanding that, we then heard from another youth leader from another party making the same demand. What! Another thoughtless statement! Yes, that’s right. This time, it’s also a copycat demand.

Then, another youth leader made a most ludicrous statement saying that his party must be the dominant partner in the government, otherwise, it would be construed as a failure.

It’s clear that this youth does not even know the basic principle of governance in a coalition. The party with the highest number of seats, whether at the state or federal level, is usually the dominant partner. Others will have to play second fiddle whether you like it or not. It’s the numbers game in politics.

There is no necessity for me to mention the names of these goofing youth leaders who have been talking through their noses of late. Many should know who they are.

In conclusion, let me say that I embrace younger leaders to be at the forefront for they promote diversity and inclusivity in leadership positions.

Having worked with young people, I’ve come to learn that they tend to be more adaptable and open to change. Best of all, I like that they are often more comfortable with emerging technologies, social trends, and shifting paradigms.

A final word to the young politicians. Do not let others know that you are groping in the dark by making childish and preposterous statements.

Better don’t say it if you are unsure of what you’re talking about. - Mkini

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.