MT Today

Yeah, so I opened a can of worms that seems to rub everybody up the wrong way. Next thing I know, everybody will start crucifying me and calling me pro-BN. What an insult indeed! Well, before you people do that, permit me this opportunity to ask one simple question, “Are all Pakatan representatives so pure at heart that they can do no wrong, ever?” 

By Hakim Joe

Think carefully before you answer that question because (I do admit) it is loaded. Allow me to remind the readers that the Perak Fiasco was initiated by you-know-who using three Pakatan assemblyperson as the primer. If a Pakatan representative can do no wrong, then the Perak Fiasco would not happen – but it did. 

Additionally, can someone criticize these elected personages? I reckon the answer is yes BUT not on Malaysia Today because “the populace must be seen to be giving support to these people”, right? The only person capable of giving it to these Pakatan representatives kau-kau is RPK. Anyone else even hinting at reprehending them would be facing the wrong end of the stick. That, sadly, is what Malaysia Today is turning out to be. 

As a voter who actually placed an “X” against the name of an election candidate who won, I have certain expectations of this person. Remember, I wasn’t the one standing on the platform stating, “We will help you” and “We will not misplace your trust”. Henceforth, when this person I helped get elected failed to acknowledge my petition, I get angry. I am not saying that this elected representative is either capable or incapable of rendering assistance because it did not ever reach that stage. A simple courtesy of acknowledging the fact that this petition will be looked into would have sufficed but even that was too much for this representative’s office to dispense. 

Now silly me, I had to write about it in an article that was posted in MT and in the process even lost the right to criticize my elected representative’s lack of interest. A small matter indeed since we have no rights to speak of anyway but two things stand out like a beacon here. 

One, unless an elected representative manages her commitment between national and local issues well, this person is consequently on shaky ground. It does not hurt to remind this person that he or she is elected by the local constituency and not people from other constituencies or states. The chances of being re-elected diminish if the actual local voters cannot deem to expect any involvement from this person. What good therefore is a losing candidate? Or is it another case of Johnny Come Lately where due attention would thence be focused on local issues only when the election date approaches?  

Two, disparagement of Pakatan assemblyperson is not approved of in MT no matter how callous this representative can be, until the very moment they cross the line to becoming “pro-BN independents” or frogs. Then it is open season for all. One day we cannot criticize them and 24 hours later, everybody can’t wait in line to do so. 

Addressing national issues is commendable, as it would have been expected of them anyway. Addressing national issues at the expense of local ones is regrettably undesirable due to the fact that they are ultimately State Assemblypersons and not Parliamentarians. If the party they represent deem it feasible for them to stand as Parliamentarians, they would have done so but things do not work out this way. There is a hierarchy whereby the newbies learn their lessons at the bottom of the rung by initially becoming volunteers before being asked to join as part time assistants. From there, they could be offered a small community to take care of and here the waiting starts.

If the party echelon appreciates the good work being done at the local level, one might be accepted as a potential state candidate. If one is so lucky to be selected, there is the state seat before waiting for a chance to be selected to contest in a parliamentary seat. The other ways are having a high profile name or having someone high within the party ranks to openly support you. 

So, a DUN has to balance their roles and responsibilities well in order to go forward. Too much involvement in national issues will get one a national following but if that is achieved at the expense of the constituency in which this person emanated from, and unless that person is selected to contest in a parliamentary seat, he or she had better not lose her state seat because she will start at the bottom of the pyramid again. That is not the important issue here because in order for her to lose her seat, this person would have lost the constituency to the opposing party. 

Is that what we desire? So, here is the question again, “Are all Pakatan representatives so pure at heart that they can do no wrong, ever?”