The candidate takes the stage on this rather hot night. Coupled with the bright spotlight right above his head, beads of sweat quickly form on his forehead.
His opening words see him spewing venom against his opponents from rival political parties. Soon after, he sings praises for the party he represents and promises to carry out a long list of initiatives if he wins at the polls.
These “ceramah” will soon be a common occurrence in Malaysia once the campaigning period begins in the run-up to the 15th General Election.
Many of the initiatives – campaign promises – may not even see the light of day. Malaysians have lost count as to the number of broken political promises that lie scattered across the national consciousness, like carcasses after a mass culling.
As always, the individuals making these promises will never be held accountable, nor will action be taken against them. In short, they will always get away, despite lying. The justification? “Hey, it’s just politics.”
Almost every political representative in Malaysia has been guilty of making empty promises, usually uttered just before voters head to the ballot boxes.
Vision 2020 – a grand plan to transform Malaysia into a fully developed nation by 2020 that was conceptualised by the then Barisan Nasional (BN) government – failed due to a lack of vision and continuity, despite BN occupying Putrajaya right until the coalition was booted out in 2018.
Pakatan Harapan, after winning the 14th General Election, failed to deliver on its manifesto. It even failed to stay for a full term in office.
In 2011, the Pas state government revealed plans to build a new stadium in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. However, it was only last year that the state government received an allocation from the Finance Ministry to construct a new stadium there, as provided for under Budget 2022.
The same can be said about the political parties in Sabah and Sarawak that had made numerous promises, especially regarding better infrastructure and connectivity.
However, locals have had to endure roads riddled with potholes and poor Internet services. Many still have to rely on generators for electricity.
What is stalling the tabling of the Ombudsman Bill when it was supposed to have been tabled in December 2019?
The Youth and Sports Ministry forms countless committees, like the one in 2017 to carry out studies on sexual harassment and psychological disorder in high-performance sports in Malaysia. Another was to study the Podium Programme. But there’s been no outcome.
To date, no one has been hauled up regarding the breach of data belonging to millions of Malaysians following a series of “leaks” over the past year.
These include the data breach involving the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Inland Revenue Board, and most recently, the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s public-private Covid-19 industrial vaccination programme (Pikas).
This, despite the Communications and Multimedia Ministry calling for an in-depth investigation in September – including a thorough review of forensic data – to see how the leaks and data theft happened, and to identify the culprit.
The local sports scene has not been spared from these types of ‘political promises’, as administrators are often led by political leaders (or former political leaders who now seek a second lease on life through sports), or those associated with them.
This systemic abuse of trust – developed and evolved over the decades – has now been somewhat normalised.
The same is seen when athletes, despite signing contracts, need to be reassured that their wages would be paid on time, and that they would be given bonuses when they win tournaments.
In 1995, the then Selangor government promised its footballers and officials 0.4 hectares of land each, for winning the prestigious Malaysia Cup. Now, five Menteris Besar later, none of the players and officials have received what had been promised.
On May 31, the Selangor government announced that the ex-players and officials would get homes under its Rumah Selangorku Idaman/Harapan initiative, “in the near future”. No firm date was given.
If the administration changes again within the next few months, the former players would be left high and dry – again.
Adding to the promises and “lies” is the fact that no one is ever held accountable.
As such, leaders assume that they can make promises without having to fulfil them. That basically, it’s okay for them to lie.
Change can only happen when stakeholders – the voters or affiliates in sporting organisations – demand for timelines, explanations, transparency, and accountability from those running the show. Just because the representatives have been elected, it doesn’t mean that they can do as they please.
The other option is to have leaders declare, only after an initiative is completed. In the case of the Selangor footballers, the then state government should not have promised anything until it had set aside the land.
But for the sake of political mileage and to hang on to power, some leaders will continue to promise the moon and the stars, only to disappear when the heat is on.
Ahead of several elections, including that of the Malaysia Athletics Federation on June 12, it’s best that the affiliates wake up and justify their existence, instead of just being “yes” men (and women), yelling out “Yes, Tan Sri”, or “We support you, Datuk Seri”.
Those who put these “liars” in office, and do not hold them accountable when they stray, should not be absolved for the decay in sports, society, and the nation.
