Gallivanting Protagonist
While it may look good to PR Supporters and the numerous fence-sitters that Pakatan assemblyperson get arrested for attending candlelight vigils or leading peaceful demonstrations, the question remains whether these elected representative of the people are actually doing their jobs, or not.
By Hakim Joe
Getting apprehended by the police these days are easy. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that getting arrested for being a Pakatan supporter or member is far easier. One only has to dress in black and light up a candle and the chances of ending up on a charge sheet at the local police station increases to a figure approaching 100 percent.
Acknowledging this as a fact of democratic life here in Malaysia under BN governance, the problem arising from such incidents, especially pertaining to elected representatives being arrested, is that while it may very well be used as propaganda against an unjust federal administration, the time these people spend in the police station and in courts are sacrificed in lieu of what these period can be utilised to assist the people within the constituencies. The pertinent quandary remains whether the perception of such sacrifices is relayed to the voters and whether it is accepted or not.
When someone seeking the assistance of such an assemblyperson finds out that their representative is not around to render assistance, what will their perception be? When such incidents occur on a constant basis, will this particular voter continue to give support to this assemblyperson or will this voter exercise his or her prerogative to vote for the other candidate? When the arrested representative cannot find the time or the effort to give assistance to their voters, what will the perception be?
Fighting for justice is all very well and commendable. Getting arrested while doing so is but a Pakatan work hazard but regularly failing to render assistance to their constituencies is a risky venture. Take Jenice Lee as a prime example; arrested twice within three days. How much time can she give to her supporters when they arrive at her office to find her missing? From my personal experience, not bloody much. Is this acceptable to someone who cannot get assistance from their elected representative? How much loyalty can Pakatan representatives expect when they fail to address the problems of their (actual) voters?
As with the perception of law, justice must be seen to be done, and as with the elected representatives of the people, concern must be acknowledged regardless whether actual assistance is positively rendered. Being constantly absent due to these arrests or other matters is definitely not a viable excuse for the lack of performance. Not replying to emails is even worse as it gives the perception that the national concerns eclipses the local interests to the extent that it is deemed acceptable to ignore the constituencies.
I have highlighted this incident when the news of Jenice’s arrest was published on Malaysia Today, and received a load of disagreements concerning it after I made a negative comment in pertinent to this issue as per indicated here. Admittedly, what she did and got arrested for is nothing to be ashamed of, and of national interests but the fact that her constant failure to serve her constituencies will not be seen positively by the people who put her there. Getting arrested for doing the right thing is one issue. Ignoring the people who actually voted for her is yet another issue. Same thing with the detractors (in the MT article), how much longer can you tolerate your respective elected representative’s preference of national issues over local concerns, to a degree that nothing is seen to be done within the constituency?
An elected representative, no matter which party they purportedly represent, must sustain a balance within national and local concerns to be effective. Failure to do so can only spell disaster. Tell me something, how much good can you do when you lose the confidence of the people who walked into a polling booth and put an “X” against your name who later walked into your office to find you missing, again?
