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
