Where has our leadership gone?

Sometime in 2007, Lee Iacocca, wrote a book titled 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?. In light of what is happening, I find the subject matter of the book, becoming more relevant by each passing day. We should now begin asking the same question- where have all our leaders gone?

In the early part of the book, Iacocca asks a question which we Malaysians should also be asking- where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder at what's going on.

The level of corruption goes unabated. Ezam Mat Nor says he has got boxes and boxes of hard evidence against Rafidah Aziz and Mat Nor Yaakob and a slew of UMNO leaders. Why doesn't he turn them over to the government? Rais Yatim should be arrested for concealing material that can help the government bust the 18 high profile corruption cases that he once loudly announced. Was that his pompous piety and righteousness that were on display? Where are the evidence? RTM itself should be investigated as to why only one company seems to monopolize all the advertising rights?

The MAS corruption allegations have to be looked into on an urgent basis. Tenders that run into billions are given without open biddings. Large scale projects are said to be pre-chosen by people close to sources of power. A former sportswoman who didn't accomplished anything of enduring significance, is getting lucrative contracts that run into hundreds of millions. Big corruption cases continue to be swept under the carpet. The economy isn't doing well.

It's nice to paraphrase Iacocca- we've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind- such as proposing to build a new MRT at a cost of 30-40 billion where a simpler tram system which would probably cost only RM 2 billion can do the trick. We actually have a 1 Malaysia dominated and monopolized by the already rich and powerful and another 1 Malaysia inhabited by the voiceless but who are increasingly incensed.

We should all be outraged and not be derailed by infantile labeling of those who speak out as Melayu liberal if those who speak out are Malays. Or if those speaking out are non Malays, they are called anti Malays. That labeling is an intellectual lazy argument and is an attempt to stop people from feeling outraged.

Thus when I rail against the NEP for example, I am not all anti those measures that were meant to help the poor and the disadvantaged but I am angered by the blatant exploitation of the policy to steal from this country.

And the absence of leadership is no more glaring when we see the increasing popularity of ideas talked about by former premier Dr. Mahathir among the Malay public. Although it affects Malays in particular, nevertheless because of the reality of Malaysian politics where UMNO politics make or break this country, these ideas eventually affect national politics. UMNO will be severely hurt unless it can offer leadership to the Malays. Unfortunately the UMNO leadership hasn't done this, i.e. provide an interest-sticking leadership.

One commentator has provided a most perceptive thought to explain what is going on.

The fact that Mahathir is able to take centre stage and speak so loudly is because Najib has forfeited the stage to him - the elegant silence that Sakmongkol referred to. This is an abject failure of leadership. Leadership requires the selling of major ideas, to explain what those policies are, and how the people will benefit. Merely having labs and seminars won't do. The vast majority of the people do not participate, and it is all too complex for them. There is a need to go to the ground, not just to show his face or shake a few hands, but to speak about the key issues and speak repeatedly until people understand the issues clearly. We might remember how Mahathir campaigned against the sultans to take power away from them. That is the kind of effort needed. And he needs his ministers to all read from the same page. This does not seem to be the case. He is the lone voice out there. It won't do.

Lastly, it should be remembered that leaders don't always lead their people to good outcomes. Jim Jones and Hitler are good examples. But to ensure these types have no influence at all we need the good leaders with vision and courage to emerge and lead. Where are they?