The ongoing very public spat between the PM and TDM is not good for Malaysia and we need to study carefully where we have gone wrong in the method of selection of our national leaders.
After 3 years some of us are disappointed that some important changes have not been achieved notably the implementation of the IPCMC and the 18 important corruption cases that most ordinary citizens keep talking about.
A multi-racial multi-cultural nation like Malaysia is not easy to govern and the fragile fabric of racial harmony is difficult to repair once it is damaged.
We simply cannot have a Prime Minister who is beholden to his predecessor and I believe our PM has steered a careful course between not offending TDM and looking to the greater good for Malaysians.
At times he has appeared too cautious and this can be mistaken for timidity or indecisiveness.
Seeking consensus is important for national cohesiveness but after a period of discussion the top leader must make up his own mind.
Our previous PM has mentioned that AAB was not his first choice so it seems that he was chosen PM in spite of TDM’s own preference. This means that our PM was selected by the majority of the power brokers.
We do not know who these people are and therein could lie the problem of Malaysia’s power transitions. For example in Indonesia, the President is elected by the voters and he is beholden to no one except to the electorate.
I don’t think we will adopt the Indonesian model but at least all Malaysians should be advised who gets to pick the Prime Minister. At present it would be good if the PM is selected by the BN Supreme Council and not just UMNO.
Coming back to the current dispute and how it should be settled. I don’t see any need for a settlement. Taking the English soccer team as an example, Sven Goran Erickson resigned after the World Cup and he has not spoken one word on how the England team is performing.
That is how it should be. Nowhere in the world do we get ex-CEO’s commenting on how the previous company is doing. Once you are done with it, it is done with you.
It is time to move on surely. Malaysia is a nation of laws and man must abide by those laws.
photo:malaysiakini
1 comment:
Perhaps the irreverent theory of 'Peter Principle' comes into play here. The ex-PM could have chosen the current PM precisely for the fact that the latter will not outshine the former. Perhaps now the ex-PM is facing his folly for choosing someone he had perceived as less competent than himself.
Whatever it is, this spat is airing all those secretive skeletons in the cupboards that we would have not otherwise been able to see.
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