THE most used word in the media this last few weeks is . . . I give you three guesses. Heck, you only need one. Of course, it is “leader”. Inevitably, its associate “successor” also tags along. I suppose it is understandable, after all we have just partaken in that momentous exercise of the State elections to elect leaders and survived an orgy (oops! can I use this word?) of campaign rallies where incumbents and wannabe leaders screamed at us, “Choose me! Choose me!”
So perhaps this is a good time to re-visit that much touted, difficult to comprehend and even more difficult to put into practice concept. No, this is not one of those structured expositions by management gurus but my own subjective view about leadership. I do apologise for being somewhat inchoate and rather random in my rendering. It is such a difficult issue and honestly I just don’t know where to start. When I mentioned my inaptitude to my friend Ben, he said, “Why not be like God, start in the beginning.”
I am not sure if he was being religious or merely cheeky, for it is written in the Good Book – first line, first book — “In the beginning God . . .” However, being ungodlike I will just start anywhere.
So let me tell you about my childhood playmates, in particular Ah Loong. When I was young I loved to play basketball. We were too poor to buy a ball except Ah Loong who was blessed with a doting and well-off father. So he had the ultimate trump card – a ball. Of course, we had to include him in our team. But he demanded more than that, he demanded the lion share of the scoring chance. If he thought he did not have his due portion he would just walked off with the ball.
That is the tale from my past that came to mind when I read about the Sibu Municipal Council’s (SMC) decision to scrap the Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF). Never mind if the annual extravaganza with its theme “Beauty in Ethnic Diversity”, portrays beautifully the colours of harmony of the people of Sarawak. Never mind if this is the occasion to showcase the diverse culture in the Land of the Hornbills. Never mind if for nine years thousands of people of Sibu and surround had participated enthusiastically to this signature uniquely Sarawak event. All Datuk Tiong Thai King, the Chairman, could say was “this had been a hard decision and it was done with a heavy heart. Since the majority of the people in Sibu did not appreciate the work of the Sibu BN Visionary Team, we are therefore forced to cancel the BCF.”
The said Chairman is a member of Sarawak United People’s Party. This party suffered its heaviest loss in its long history in the recent state elections and Tiong was one of the casualties. Referring to that disastrous episode he said that the current political message was simply too clear to be ignored. I don’t know what message he thinks he got from the electorates but judging from this kneejerk and emotional reaction obviously it is not the same one that many analysts think his party should get.
In the wake of that announcement there have been a few choice remarks from some commentators. Among them “sour grapes”, “sore losers” “cutting the nose to spite the face,” all rather apt I think. Personally I would just say “how very Ah Loong”.
This juvenile display of tantrum and foot stamping indicate to the people of Sarawak that perhaps this oldest political party in the state has completely lost its plot and the road back is a long one indeed.
Talking about the road to recovery, already views have been aired publicly that there should be wholesale change in the leadership of the beleaguered party – “all the veteran leaders should step down to make way for new blood”. Like a drowning man grasping at straws one erstwhile party leader even suggested that an absolute political newbie, one who is better known for his skills on the operational table in the hospital than his acumen in the operational room of a political party, be appointed his successor.
I suppose desperate times demand desperate measures. There is no more desperate time than that which this political party is facing now. However, in this case I believe the desperate measure means going back to basics.
Basics number one: the practice of democracy is indivisible. In other words, if we purport to subscribe to democratic principle at national level (that’s why we go through all the rigmarole of going into little cubicles to mark our little crosses every five years) we must also practise it at the grassroots’ level; namely, the leaders are chosen by the members. The idea of appointing a “successor” is so very yesterday.
Basics number two: change, if it were to be of any effect, must be profound, not just superficial and cosmetic. It is not enough to have a change of personalities at the top. It has to be a change in the mindset and the way of doing things in the organisation. It has to be a change of culture and philosophy. The leaders must have the wisdom to listen to the ranks. The ranks must have the courage to speak their minds and thus contribute meaningful in the formulation of the party strategies and tactics. Unfortunately, as one writer puts it “due to years of being under a patronage leadership system the ranks and files have completely emaciating themselves intellectually and are reduced to the role of ‘yes men’ ”. Thus, even if the emperor wears no clothes no one dares to point out that he is naked. If the readers are unsure about the meaning of that let me quote from a book:
“The ordinary people can make suggestions, of course, but they cannot make final decisions because they do not control the purse strings. This public impotence can be documented by examples after examples. At one Association meeting a young Chinese made an impassioned speech concerning the welfare of the Association members. The chairman, a wealthy towkay, grew impatient. Suddenly he interrupted the young speaker: ‘How many rubber estates do you own?’ The young man answered none. ‘In that case’ said the Chairman, with a sigh, ‘since you will have nothing to contribute with the subscription list comes round, you had better cut your speech short.’ ” (page 115, The Chinese of Sarawak by Ju-K’ang, T’ien, Ph.D.)
This is from a book that was first published in 1953! It seems many organisations are still caught in a time warp.
Basics number three: a leader must be bi-focal. A leader must have the ability to see the bigger picture while still attending to the simple “bread and butter” issues that are of immediate concern. Unfortunately, the apparent horizon of many of the politicians seems to be no more than what are in front of them – the drains and the roads. Thus, earning them the moniker of “lokang YBs” (lokang means drains, YBs are members of the State Assembly)
One commentator, Felician Teo, put it rather eloquently, “To get elected for public office in urban areas today is no longer about clearing drains, raising roads, sorting out rubbish collection among others. Those tasks are meant to be carried out by the municipal or district councils.”
“We expect those who aspire for elected office at DUN or parliament to be knowledgeable about government policies. The urban electorate is interested in the stand and knowledge of their elected representatives in areas of national policies like education, the economy – why petrol prices keep going up, why income levels are not rising to match the escalating food prices, why are young people leaving town to seek jobs in bigger cities and so on.”
I can only say, “amen” to that.
As for the basics of leadership, I am sure there are many more but for now all I want to say to the leaders and wannabe leaders is, “Welcome to the 21st century. Many of our people are already here.” That’s the message I believe politicians of all hues should heed.
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