3/5/11 FOR NAJIB AND MUHYIDDIN TO PONDER

(These adults were lined-up to 'shake' their future. And these kids were assembled to listen to speeches that promised of their future. To them, as long as they can go to school, be among friends, have enough to take care of their basics, they are happy. But their basics have now changed drastically. )

In fact it is immaterial who run the Government, as long as the principle of responsible governance is well honored. In the Malaysian context, the Government could either be managed by the existing National Front (NF) or the People Front (Pakatan Rakyat: PR). In America, the Government always changed hand between the Democrat and Republican. In Britain it switched between the Labor and Conservative. The same happening in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, German and many other developed economies. The only problem in Malaysia, as Mahathir had put it right over 20 years ago, that we are yet to be politically matured. The political parties and the people are both still far from being matured.

(2) In the last Sarawak’s state general election (PRU10), the progressive swing of the votes to the Opposition seem to worry alot, especially those in Putra Jaya. All this while, the NF had been hoping for Sarawak to be the Safe Deposit of the NF Government, yet in the last election, the result seem to display a different view. Thus there arised voices of panic among the NF while, a bit of celebration on the PR side.

(3) Now, many see that, for NF and even PR to win the heart and mind of the Malaysians, the best and fastest solution must be a political approach. The best is to dance to the music, ie heeding to what the people want. That is the basic principle of politic, giving to what the people want. My only worry, while the people want what they want, did we professionally and courageously guide them to what they really need?

(4) While political approach must take place, the other critical side of the National Management must also be seriously taken care: National Economic Management.

(5) Firtsly, on the political forefront, Najib may have to relook at our Federal Cabinet Structure. Some changes had to be made to those who are now steering certain Ministries, especially the one that seem to be having 'flipflop' mindset. My immediate concern especially among those ministers who are focussing heavily on their personal interest. The Pork Barrel political petronage practices, where they are very much linient with, seem to be a very damaging not only to the parties but the national economy as well. They seem to favor their Kawasan instead of focusing on the National Interest. As such, I would say may be those heading the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Welfare and Women Development, Internal Security, Information, and Sport should be relook. They might be good for other thing. Najib should have at least the best five to make his Government better. Why five? Remember the popular statement of Sukarno: Berikan aku lima panglima, akan kugempur seluruh dunia!. The Muslim pray five times aday. Hang Tuah, the legendary Malacca panglima was a team of five great friends. Muhhyidin and Mustapha Muhammad, I would say are his present perfect partners. The rest, they need to change and do more. Who would be the other three? Mukriz may have to work harder and be free of Mahathir shadow. He, I would say, is one of them.

(6) Can't our Government afford to pay our Politicians better renumeration. Let set their KPIs and raised their allowances. Make them focus to their responsibilities and pay them for their good works. Definitely, as many would think, this is an easy said solution, but have we made an effort to make it work? I believe we have not been fair to our leaders, thus they have to earn extra, to take care of some nonsense 'duties'.

(7) Secondly, Najib must be able to see the strength of Tun Razak and even Mahathir when people such as Ismail Ali (Tun; Bank Negara), Azizan (Tan Sri, Petronas), Rasdan Baba (Tan Sri, UPM), Salahuddin (Tan Sri,KSN), Ungku Aziz (UM), Anuar Ali (Tan Sri,UKM), etc were part of the Government machineries. These, I would say, people who served the Government, purely out of their soul to serve the people, getting their jobs done without thinking too much of the reward.

(8) When Mahathir embarks on the privatization during the 1980s-1990s, I would say, lots of those brilliant and smart civil servants left the services to take up the position in the growing corporate world. This had created the serious brain drained, and the worst, the most experienced and dedicated have left the civil services, leaving those young and immatured behind. We then have good corporate CEOs. We then are able to generate business minded Bumis.

(9) Nonethless, as time passed by, some of those CEOs heading the GLCs, and even the Board members, are they really taking their task as an amanah or are they warming those seats mostly for their personally best benefit. While KPIs being set upon them, what sort of KPIs should be our concerned: social, economic, or commercial? It is very unfortunate, that most of our GLCs see too much from one persepective (especially commercial) while neglecting the others (especially socio-economic). These now had generated development gaps that significantly contributing to our people dissatisfaction.

(10) To me, Najib and Muhhyiddin have to relook on how to inculcate all those best characters and values so that our Civil and GLCs Machinerise are back to serious working culture that could uplift our people living standard accross the board. The establishment of PEMNADU and even the earlier Level 4 of the PM Department is a manifestation of an inefficient civil service. The government itself, is looking down at its own machinereies. I would believe, if we have known which agencies are not efficient, why leaving them not properly attended? Why not close them down or even revamp them through? Why are we behaving: gali lubang tutup lubang?

(11) The problem with us, we love to manage more and more machineries rather managing the jobs or works that are entrusted to us. That I would believe the real reason, why our productivity and quality of works are not improving as expected.

(12) Thirdly; last but not least, I would say, Najib must be seriously working himself to submit to what the Malays saying: Ular menyusur akar tidak akan hilang bisanya. A philosophy equivallent to: Diam-diam ubi berisi; Ikut rasmi padi, semakin berisi semakin tunduk. His father, Tun Abdul Razak have shown the way, and there is no reason why he can't learn that from his still living mother. Muhhyidin, I would believe have no problem of appreciating the lives of the commoners. Coming from a big family, if not mistaken having 40 brothers and sisters, as well as a great humble parent, he should know the feeling of the Malays seeing and having a humble leader.

(13) Let me just ask one simple question: Where is that slogan, no protocol, no big reception, that once we had declared before?. Don't tell me, that Najib is only interested about this upon his immediate step down!

(14) Personally, I have treated Muhhyiddin to a warong breakfast at the Mukah Waterfront Hawkers center when he was the Minsiter of Agriculture, and he also demonstrated a simple, approachable leader when he was helping the Sarawak State PRU10 campaigns. Except probably, both Najib and Muhhyiddin, should be aware whom surrounding them that could create nuisance, and bad feeling for the public. I believe, they must be smart enough to see: Musang berbulu ayam; or Tempua bersarang rendah.

(15) The wives of our Malay leaders must also be able to position themselves well within the moderate and conservative Malays society. We can't be having a wife that is running infront of the husband, except if he is a dayus, or as the Malays saying: Lebih sudu dari kuah. I believe, Rodziah (Tunku), Norashikin (Ismail), Rahah (Razak), Rahimah (Husein), Hasmah (Mahathir), and Azizah (Anwar) have shown great quality of wives behind their love one, the Nation Fathers (I reserved for Anwar). The English saying, there is always a woman behind a successful man is also relevant to take serious note, while the Quran saying; ..among others, woman can be a factor of a man downfall, must also be well recognised.

Kuching, Sarawak
3 may, 2011