A Lesson In Pragmatic Politics

Many years ago I was in a group discussing why we need a good person like Pak Lah to lead our country. A friend said as a matter of factly-if you want a good person find an imam.

It made me realised that it's almost impossible to be both a good person and a politician.
Hence, the popular image of a politician who is sly underhanded and dishonest.

We should not be thinking  that way, rather the question  we should  ask ourselves  is-. Is this person an effective leader?

Hj Hadi was once MB of Trengganu. His avowed objective was to establish a kingdom of God there.  He soon was overwhelmed  by real politiks.  He failed after 1 term.

M. Yacob of Kelantan is different.  There his primary objective  is not to  establish a kingdom of God but to manage the state effectively.  So he has managed  to endure longer.

But the jury is not out yet.  With the increasing Mullah-isation of PAS Kelantan, it may prove to be his Achilles  heel!

So the ustazs in PAS may not be purely persons of God after all.  Earthly matters may colour their character.

If they want to remain fundamentalist, be a preacher not a Politician.

The raison d'être of a good politician  is to defend enrich and honour the state. And this may require the use of the darker arts.

To honour the state may include  jettisoning  people like Najib and his inklings in UMNO.

In order to do this Muhyiddin must use judicious virtue, Machiavelli used the term criminal  virtue.  Simply ruthlessness.

We are not asking for Najib to be sawn into two but asking  for Najib to spend sabbatical in Sungai Buluh.  Or ban him from politics.

That includes axing civil servants  who behaved like little Napoleons.  Those who don't answer phones should be terminated. We the taxpayers have long tolerated their nonsense.

But the use of criminal virtue must be what it is-judicious. They must be used sporadically to avoid being accused of mindless  brutality.

Action on Najib and the little  napoleons should be done once. After that use diversionary tactics-. Concerts, Public  Shows, lower taxes, financial incentives  etc. Let people think you are an effective  leader.

Very often, being a good politician and a good person involves moral trade-offs, -to be a good politician  often means you have to abandon being a good person.

I am afraid  that's the problem with PH people -wanting  to be a good person  and a good politician.  In the end they failed.

They want to celebrate differences, they wan to give opposition  air time.  It's not our business to allow the opposition  to undermine us. We must be ruthless.

I have said it before -we don't have to be apologetic to the Bukit Tunku Bolsehviks the Hampstead liberals, the Gucci communists, the Country Heights, Café Latte socialists-just do  it!

So we must not think politicians as sly underhanded or manoeuvring but rather, my friends, are they effective?