A question of character

Allow me to approach the subject of the cabinet composition from a different angle. In the previous article, mention of KJ's name has raised xenophobic responses. Yes he got a 3^rd of the support from Pemuda delegates. But that was simply because there were 3 contestants. Each did not command any clear majority support. Hence, among them, the better one with a bigger number won. Can I respond by saying, the other two couldn't even muster a 1/3 support?

I have chosen to ignore many of those bigoted and highly slanted opinions which do not go beyond labeling me as KJ's lackey in one or two sentences. Well, we all know the quality of the grey matter that is capable of only one or two liners. The worst is of course the ones who couldn't get pass his/her expletives exclamations. Opinions stated in one or two sentence are not worth the paper on which they are  printed. The rope is more expensive than the cow. In any case, it's fun to throw these adolescents into uncontrollable tantrums.

But seriously- I think there is a place for both Mukhriz and KJ in PM Najib's team. KJ can collect water, MUkhriz can go find firewood. You need all kinds. Anyway, UMNO people salivate at the idea that after this, another son a former PM takes over and after that, another takes over. That's UMNO for you.

What are we? We are second generation voters and leaders. The issues confronting us are different. Poverty- urban now more pronounced, corruption which is a scourge, inefficient and ineffective government and administration which aggravates the cost of running the country, ignorance and intolerance, ineptitude- these are the 2^nd generation issues. How do you tackle them? By placing second generation thinking leaders in responsible positions.

Hence the future of this country depends on the quality of people PM Najib selects to be on his team to drive Malaysia.

What is it that confronts the PM now? My answer is that he needs to create an environment and a system in which succeeding generations can build and improve upon we already have. High up in the list of things to do, is to install a strong leadership, with a shared vision, drive and commitment.

Each generation gets rid of the past and together with that past, people who ruled and ordered our society. It comes back to a basic question- what does the PM want? Does he want to create a self perpetuating or self continuing system? Self perpetuating to me means, you have people who lap up to every word you say, submissively, uncritically accept every word you say, for the purposes of ensuring self survival. Now, what kind of character do such people have? They are just sycophants. Self perpetuating also means you don't get rid of the past. Indeed you try to placate the past as much as possible.

Two things make up leadership. The mental capabilities and this thing called character. Recently the PM appointed some new senators. One of them used to be a very intimate aide to Anwar Ibrahim. That would make anyone think that he knows many secrets about Anwar as Anwar does about him too. That's true. You can't claim only you know the other's secrets- the other guy also knows you inside out. In the end- you end up throwing your dirty laundry in the streets. I think UMNO should cease to be a political Alam Flora.

After going through some difficult period, defending Anwar and standing by that leader, he finally quit the party and abandoned the struggles of the political party/movements whose ideals he once swore upon. What kind of character does he have? To me he has a fluid and ephemeral character, when taken as a whole, should be a cause of concern for the prime minister. If he can do that to a longtime comrade, what's stopping him from doing the same next time around?

A compromisable character is a political liability. A person like Ruslan Kassim earns my respects more than this carbon copy of Anwar. He broke ranks with Anwar but has the class not to take the road to gutter politics.Den pecayo kek ekau Lan.