The world is changing. Traditional values and norms are being replaced by the dictates of personal and partisan interests, greed, and power. Traditional sensibilities, wisdom, ethics, morals, and integrity are passé.
Qualities such as an unblemished character, high morals and ethical values, and altruism, are no longer in vogue in the current socio-political scenario. High office no longer requires such qualities, as the selection of candidates is mainly based on political expediency without much consideration for their background.
The world has seen many people of questionable character, even convicted felons and those tainted with sexual misdemeanours, elected as leaders, prime ministers, and presidents. The good, honest, and God-fearing people are not interested in high-level political office because the political arena is a ruthless snake-pit. Principled and ethical persons would not survive the political imbroglio and shenanigans. Those seasoned politicians who survive are adept at creating layers of deception through political machinations and manoeuvring, for politics is the art of deception sans moral scruples.
This malaise has become the norm worldwide, and Malaysia is not spared from this rot. Since Merdeka, the country has veered from the trajectory of good governance, steered by leaders of questionable character who siphoned off the country’s wealth, and fostered inter-communal strife to serve their personal and partisan agenda.
This privileged class amassed untold wealth while the populace is hard-pressed to survive. There are political leaders who manipulate religion to dupe their members into serving them blindly, using Quranic verses to silence any opposition or those who dare question their excesses.
These leaders of this so-called religious party, are unscrupulous, unprincipled, and unethical. They justify their stand on anything by citing religious injunctions, irrespective of whether it goes against the very tenets of Islam. Their stand on all aspects of governance and law is based on political expediency.
In 2018, a then Pas Youth leader had called for Muslims to stay away from Christmas celebrations and to not wish Christians on the occasion. But this year, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, the Pas secretary-general, wished Christians in Malaysia a Merry Christmas.
Then, there is the instance of one of its Members of Parliament being sued for defamation and slander. The court ruled that she must pay the three plaintiffs RM870,000. To get the members to contribute to the crowdfunding, they declared it as a jihad, the highest form of sacrifice in Islam.
Pas leaders do not seem concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of the people. They try their best to make life difficult by implementing draconian laws and regulations, supposedly based on religious injunctions, while they neglect to implement projects that would provide the basic necessities for the people in the states they control. Their intention is to control the people and instil fear of God’s retributions if they do not follow the leaders’ directives.
Such tainted leadership also caused Umno’s downfall. To regain power, they used fear tactics, warning the Malays that they would lose political power and supremacy, and be subjugated by the other races. They position themselves as the vanguard and saviour of the Malay race to maintain political and economic dominance.
The current Umno leadership lacks a strong ethical and moral commitment. To them, the ends justify the means; to this end, their political agenda even supersedes the rule of law. This is borne out by their manoeuvrings to free their former president and convicted prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is serving prison time over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.
Even the current government leadership, having to negotiate between internal and external strife, has compromised the principles that it promised the electorate it would uphold.
There is a leadership crisis in this country. The existing ones leave much to be desired. They exhibit various degrees of moral and ethical deprivation that impact the governance of this country. The current social, political, and nepotistic ecosystem does not augur well for the nurturing of altruistic future leaders with strong moral fibre and ethical principles.
The existing race-based political parties are a stumbling block. Their financial strength and corrupt practices have enabled them to remain in power. Good independent candidates do not have the means to mount a challenge against the party-based candidates.
It would require the electorate to change its mental attitude to resist the monetary, and other rewards offered by politicians when choosing leaders with integrity and honesty. At the same time, eligible candidates must accept the challenge for leadership roles.
The country sorely needs leaders with integrity and uncompromised moral and ethical principles.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer’s and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
