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THE challenge by PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to a debate is an interesting one.
It will reveal the issues involving Sapura Energy’s demise and need for a bailout, again with rakyat’s money probably borrowed for future generations to pay. It will also reveal the level of understanding of the debaters about the issue.
I cannot but laugh when former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim brought files into Parliament, only to say all the “truth” was in them. He did not or could not however explain his position.
The people are fed up with the polemics and deceit of our jaded politicians. The new media has unravelled the facts behind the scene. The sense of awe for the powerful and normally rich has vanished somewhat.
However, the reemergence of Rafizi has given energy to the voters with his refreshing, intelligent, and frank approach of bringing the issues to the rakyat. Although the topic at hand is narrow, it opens up to a lot of issues.
Some of the issues are mismanagement in GLCs and Malaysia Incorporated. The outrageous compensation packages that CEOs get took off to the stratosphere during Najib’s watch.
Who should shoulder the burden of these private entities that have been poorly managed? Najib’s statement that it is up to the respective boards of companies to decide is inaccurate and unintelligent. The companies work within the socio-economic ecosystem and must work within its parameters as they are part of it.
That’s why the salary of the prime minister, the nation’s chief executive officer, is relatively modest because the average salary of the workers is modest.
A Bank Negara report finds that 60% of the jobs created are salaried at RM2,000 or less, even as corporate heads of GLCs rake in more than RM10 million in annual packages.
Accin all for debates during elections
In the absence of actual presentation, discussion, and debate of the competing political parties’ manifestos, the voters will not be able to understand and evaluate the vision and plans presented, if there are any.
They will then focus on the form rather than substance. No serious discussions on policies on how to bring the economy to life, help the poor and vulnerable, reinvigorate the small businesses, and improve our competitiveness in an economy ravaged by Covid-19.
It has become a norm that money politics can reign supreme in the decision of a good chunk of the voter bank, pun intended. The press will be in a frenzy reporting the happenings and the political intrigue – who will be hopping to which party and whether convicts will be able to run for elections. All focus will be on the positions taken by the parties and their candidates.
Debates: not a race to find the best debater
One of the ways to have matured meaningful decision-making is to give all political parties a platform to present their views for the voters to be educated and make well-informed decisions.
The immature system we have been practising for as long as I can remember gives the well-entrenched ruling coalition all the platforms to say how good they are and how visionary their manifesto is. They go on to demonise the opposition with no chance for a reply. But a lot has changed since the advent of the internet and social media. Unfettered information and news channels are becoming more widely available.
Money politics, bad deeds, and incompetence are readily exposed. The best way, as practised in all democracies, is to allow voters to make well-informed choices and to have public debates on issues and manifestos.
This will bring out the best and worst of candidates and the voters will be able to assess their potential elected representatives and understand the issues that lie before the state or nation.
I happened to be in Jakarta, Indonesia, five years ago watching the second presidential debate between Jokowi and Prabowo on the economy. Four debates were telecast live on national TV from Aceh to West Papua over three time zones, over four weeks.
I came out of the debate highly impressed with the candidates, with Jokowi looking more calm, knowledgeable and impressive. I also learned a whole lot about the Indonesian economy and the challenges going forward.
I speculate that if I were to follow all four debates, I would be well-prepared to vote in their elections. – The Vibes, April 6, 2022
Jamaludin Shamsudin is CEO of Accin (Allied Coordinating Council of Islamic NGOs)