CHOOSE POLITICIANS WITH VALUES, NOT TRANSACTIONS

 

CHOOSE POLITICIANS WITH VALUES, NOT TRANSACTIONS

One of the biggest mistakes voters make is assuming that politicians and political parties are driven primarily by values. More often than not, politics is driven by interests.

History offers many examples.

During the Cold War, the United States saw Communist China as an important strategic partner in balancing the Soviet Union. Washington and Beijing found ways to cooperate despite having fundamentally different political systems and values. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, that strategic need gradually disappeared. Today, China is increasingly viewed by the United States as its principal geopolitical competitor.

The lesson is simple. In politics, today's ally can become tomorrow's adversary, and yesterday's enemy can become today's partner. Relationships are often transactional.

Malaysia is no different.

The Johor election reminds us that political calculations change according to circumstances. Parties that once criticised one another may find common ground when it suits their immediate objectives. Parties that once worked together may suddenly become bitter opponents.

This is not unique to one political party.

PAS, DAP, UMNO, PKR, Bersatu and others have all, at different points in our political history, adjusted their alliances or positions in response to changing political realities. Each side explains its decision as being in the nation's interest. Sometimes those explanations may be genuine. Sometimes they may simply be political necessity.

That is the nature of politics.

The real question, therefore, is not whether politicians behave transactionally. Many do. The real question is whether citizens recognise it.

This is why voters must stop becoming emotionally attached to political parties and start paying closer attention to the individual candidate.

Before asking which party deserves our vote, we should first ask whether the person seeking to become our Member of Parliament deserves our trust.

• Is this person consistent?
• Does this person have integrity?
• Is this person competent?
• Does this person have the courage to speak up, even when it is uncomfortable?
• Will this person put the rakyat above party interests?

Only when we elect men and women of strong character can we begin to improve the quality of our politics. Good people can exist in any political party - or even as independents.

Take Wong Chen, Hassan Abdul Karim and Saifuddin Abdullah as contemporary examples. Voters may agree or disagree with the parties they belong to, or the political decisions they have made. That is perfectly legitimate. Yet many Malaysians regard them as politicians who are willing to speak their minds, ask difficult questions, and remain relatively consistent with their principles, even when it is uncomfortable.

In earlier generations, leaders such as Lee Lam Thye and Tan Chee Khoon earned public respect not merely because of the parties they represented, but because of their integrity, courage and commitment to the public interest.

These are the kinds of people we should be looking for.

Whether such individuals are in PAS, UMNO, DAP, PKR, Bersatu, MCA, Amanah, Bersama, or whether they contest as independents, should be secondary. Character should come first. Party should come second.

Strong institutions begin by electing strong individuals.

If politicians choose transactions, then the rakyat must choose values.

Peace,

Anas Zubedy