When controversial Jelutong MP
and also Penang CM's chief of staff made an unbecoming derogatory remark at
local council staff and still adamantly refusing to retract, people are
wondering whether these politicians are bringing change or becoming entranced
and drenched in delusional power. He has had a fair share of getting into
trouble with councillors before.
According to FMT, MPPP public
health officer See Seng Bee, 58, who was present, narrated to the press about
his embarrassing ordeal when Ooi chided him as “kucing kurap.” He said, “I felt embarrassed because I have never
been humiliated in my 37-year career. (The MP) called me a kucing kurap and told me to get lost,” he narrated about his
humiliation.
Some MPs still do not want to
understand or accept that they do not actually have executive power to summon or direct
government departments or employees. Civil service officers are not at the beck
and call of elected representatives who are not granted executive authority. Jelutong
MP's call for the resignation of the local council president is mere political
bravado and meaningless. He has no right to make the call except by bringing it up through the legislative process at the state assembly by way of a motion or through
any state tribunal or legal mechanisms, if any.
He seems not to have learnt any
lessons from the overzealous assemblyman for Komtar who was captured on TV
wrestling with a nasi kandar worker
tussling over a gas tank. The Komtar state representative thought he could do
the task of being an enforcement officer better. It turned out that he had to
apologise and also made amends to the restaurant for his misadventure and for saying bigotry remarks which he still
denies.
But the sheer haughtiness,
prejudice and overbearing attitude towards the working class and civil servants
is unacceptable in this era of political awareness, freedom and reform. We do
not need another petite bourgeois in our midst in place of the old culture of
political patronage and neo feudalism. Once
again elected representatives are not empowered to be executives or
become brash enforcers and ill minded overseers. They are not our overlords.
They only represent us legislatively. They must learn and learn quickly to
respect basic decency and stand to uphold human dignity - karamah insaniyah.
This leads to the exorbitant pay
increase of the Selangor MB and state assembly executive members which they
decided for themselves. There seems to be a political disconnect between the
people's expectations and aspirations of their leaders and the actual behaviour
of their politicians with their promise of political change.
Anwar Ibrahim has stepped into
the matter calling for explanations. Indeed he was the very person who cautioned
this phenomenon which he described as a disconnect where political ideals and
postulations not becoming realities on the ground. It hampers the hopes and wishes of the
people. There is a growing disillusionment with politicians, the immorality in
the complicity of the rich with elite politicians. How can freedom and justice
can be translated into caring and socially conscious leadership to remain true
to acknowledging the people’s suffering? Political change as expounded by Anwar
Ibrahim means that politics cannot be regarded as business as usual anymore.
Are politicians listening and heeding this? Are they ready for change?
Until then, this debilitating
road to political transformation makes the common people wonder aloud whether
things were not better during those days of previous governments. Or people may
just give up on this by simply distrusting ALL politicians whatever their party
colours.
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