Where has our leadership gone?


By Sakmongkol AK47

Sometime in 2007, Lee Iacocca, wrote a book titled ‘Where Have All The Leaders Gone?. In light of what is happening, I find the subject matter of the book, becoming more relevant by each passing day. We should now begin asking the same question- where have all our leaders gone?

In the early part of the book, Iacocca asks a question which we Malaysians should also be asking- where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder at what’s going on.

The level of corruption goes unabated. Ezam Mat Nor says he has got boxes and boxes of hard evidence against Rafidah Aziz and Mat Nor Yaakob and a slew of UMNO leaders. Why doesn’t he turn them over to the government? Rais Yatim should be arrested for concealing material that can help the government bust the 18 high profile corruption cases that he once loudly announced. Was that his pompous piety and righteousness that were on display? Where are the evidence? RTM itself should be investigated as to why only one company seems to monopolize all the advertising rights?

The MAS corruption allegations have to be looked into on an urgent basis. Tenders that run into billions are given without open biddings. Large scale projects are said to be pre-chosen by people close to sources of power. A former sportswoman who didn’t accomplished anything of enduring significance, is getting lucrative contracts that run into hundreds of millions. Big corruption cases continue to be swept under the carpet. The economy isn’t doing well.

It’s nice to paraphrase Iacocca- we’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind- such as proposing to build a new MRT at a cost of 30-40 billion where a simpler tram system which would probably cost only RM 2 billion can do the trick. We actually have a 1 Malaysia dominated and monopolized by the already rich and powerful and another 1 Malaysia inhabited by the voiceless but who are increasingly incensed.

We should all be outraged and not be derailed by infantile labeling of those who speak out as Melayu liberal if those who speak out are Malays. Or if those speaking out are non Malays, they are called anti Malays. That labeling is an intellectual lazy argument and is an attempt to stop people from feeling outraged.

Thus when I rail against the NEP for example, I am not all anti those measures that were meant to help the poor and the disadvantaged but I am angered by the blatant exploitation of the policy to steal from this country.

And the absence of leadership is no more glaring when we see the increasing popularity of ideas talked about by former premier Dr. Mahathir among the Malay public. Although it affects Malays in particular, nevertheless because of the reality of Malaysian politics where UMNO politics make or break this country, these ideas eventually affect national politics. UMNO will be severely hurt unless it can offer leadership to the Malays. Unfortunately the UMNO leadership hasn’t done this, i.e. provide an interest-sticking leadership.

One commentator has provided a most perceptive thought to explain what is going on.
The fact that Mahathir is able to take centre stage and speak so loudly is because Najib has forfeited the stage to him – the elegant silence that Sakmongkol referred to. This is an abject failure of leadership. Leadership requires the selling of major ideas, to explain what those policies are, and how the people will benefit. Merely having labs and seminars won’t do. The vast majority of the people do not participate, and it is all too complex for them. There is a need to go to the ground, not just to show his face or shake a few hands, but to speak about the key issues and speak repeatedly until people understand the issues clearly. We might remember how Mahathir campaigned against the sultans to take power away from them. That is the kind of effort needed. And he needs his ministers to all read from the same page. This does not seem to be the case. He is the lone voice out there. It won’t do.

Lastly, it should be remembered that leaders don’t always lead their people to good outcomes. Jim Jones and Hitler are good examples. But to ensure these types have no influence at all we need the good leaders with vision and courage to emerge and lead. Where are they?

  1. #1 by buy election on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 2:01 pm

    yes, our leadership in Sarawak.
    TAIB
    He is indeed a king, hiding inside the castle and not knowing what the people want. He only knows how to travel by Rolls Royce on the roads and fly by his private jet in the air.

    The opposition said SUPP did not reflect the Chinese request to Taib, thus Taib has no clue of our need.

    But, is Taib the chief minister for the Melanau only? In fact he does not know what the Chinese want, what the Iban/Dayak and all other people want.

    He knows only what he and his family wants.

    If Taib will be removed, this is a great achievement of the opposition. No body dared to speak against Taib in the past. I think even SUPP will be so grateful to the opposition.

    But we need all those stolen nation wealth back to the state.
    http://veryfatlady.blogspot.com/

  2. #2 by Godfather on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 2:31 pm

    Where are they ?

    They are busy counting their bank balances, and finding new ways to hide their loot.

  3. #3 by Godfather on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 2:33 pm

    Those who know Najib say that he has never made a decision in his life. They say that he leads three rows from the front. They say that he will only decide if the issue is a sure-win thing. That’s why I can’t see any early elections happening, and that’s why all the sniping will continue until a tragedy happens.

  4. #4 by sheriff singh on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 2:53 pm

    We have Muhyiddin Yassin?

  5. #5 by boh-liao on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 2:55 pm

    Utusan Malaysia is championing leadership
    Leading politicians n ppl by their noses
    Now UM reported dat DAP MP Teo Nie Ching entered ruang solat Surau Al-Huda, Kajang Sentral
    Pengarah JAIS: “Orang bukan Islam tidak dibenarkan memasuki dalam masjid dan surau apatah lagi di ruang solat utama kerana mereka dikategorikan seperti wanita yang didatangi haid”

  6. #6 by Ridzuan Aziz on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 3:11 pm

    i wish i am a leader..so i can change world..
    i wish i am a leader..so i can help create a better world..
    and i wish i am a leader..because i know i am qualified to be a good leader.

    and we are not..not equip to be a leader. Y? because we are better at hurling accusations and criticizing, which we are good at.

    I just hope that Malaysia will still be in harmony despite all these. and i am not saying that criticism is not good, it can be healthy in a way, but not to the expense of jeopardizing our country’s good name.

  7. #7 by dagen on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 3:27 pm

    “…
    i wish i am a leader..because i know i am qualified to be a good leader.” – ridzuan

    qualification? u racist! u r talking about qualification? about merit? that u hv the merit to be a good leader? oh no. wrong, my friend. i cant tell u to go home because home for u like me is No. something along Jln somewhere. but i wish i can tell u to stuff ur wish. Cos old man dr mamak said meritocracy = racism. Do not worry. I wont. For me meritocracy is not racism. Old dr mamak is plainly wrong.

  8. #8 by waterfrontcoolie on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 4:29 pm

    To Ridzuan, are you suggesting that by exposing all the wrongs in the country, we are NOT helping to create a BETTER world?? So the solution is to follow the “leaders” and accept their actions as the Will from above? If you refuse to talk about blatantly and wanton corruption, then what is the issue? Accept the fact that public leaders by being paid by the public are open to public criticism. if you just open your eyes and compare the costs of our major projects as against those undertaken by other Asian Countries, there is only 1 conclusion: Corrupt Practices being carried out without blinking the eye!

  9. #9 by yhsiew on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 5:22 pm

    Leaders are many but good leaders are few!

    Dream leaders: Are they born or made?

    Would Malaysians ever find their dream leaders?

  10. #10 by boh-liao on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 6:00 pm

    Besides asking “Where has our leadership gone?”
    Must also ask “Where has our $$$$ (esp Malay $$$$ under NEP) gone?

    We all knew under NEP, Malays had long ago achieved 30% or >30% share of d economy
    Unfortunately d wealth was not spread out 2 poor Malays who need economic uplifting but was concentrated (unaccounted 4) in d hands of super-rich Umno Malays
    Their pockets were bulging, yet they kept shouting ‘belum cukup’ ‘more, more’

    Follow dis High Court case dat confirms $$$$ into MMK, Daim, Umno etc
    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/shares-dispute-reveals-umno-corporate-nexus/

    We r certain there r more similar cases

  11. #11 by johnnypok on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 6:22 pm

    Answer: Our leadership has long been flushed down the toilet bowl.

    Look south and learn all you can from Singapore.

  12. #12 by undertaker888 on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 7:04 pm

    We don’t have leadership. All we have are leper-ship.

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