A Reluctant Politician or A Pseudo Politician?

Is there such a thing as a reluctant politician? I can say that I am a reluctant artist if, and only if, I have the aptitude, training and skills of an artist but do not wish to be an artist. I can say that I am a reluctant lawyer, if, and again only if, I have the aptitude, training and skills of a lawyer but do not wish to be a lawyer. But I can't say that I am a reluctant politician if I do not have the aptitude, interest, training nor skills of a politician simply because I have been coerced into becoming a pseudo politician. In such a situation, I can only tell people that I am indeed a first class imitation, make-belief, propped-up, pseudo politician, isn't it? One can only be a reluctant "something" if one already has the aptitude, inclination, interest, training and skills for that something. If you don't have that, you simply don't have that. Simple as that!

How can a person become a reluctant politician? If he is reluctant to be a politician, then he is no politician whatsoever! The characteristics of and the demand for a politician are far from those expected of any other profession, or businessman. Firstly, one must have the calling and the passion to be a real politician. He has to be genuinely interested in the welfare of the common people and a sincere heart, deeply and unshakably rooted in the wish to eliminate the sufferings of lesser folks, elevate their aspirations and advance their cause. He cannot simply say "I am a politician because I am doing something for the country." Everybody is doing something for the country. Even the housewife who has no economic contribution is also doing something for the country - she is producing and nurturing future leaders for the nation without pay!

Secondly, one must have the aptitude and attitude to measure up to the challenges and frustrations that a real politician would encounter on a daily basis. Once you participate in politics and get elected as a representative of the people, you become a public figure, public property. You are no more a private person. You cannot hope to hide in your own private corner and do things that would not be scrutinized by the people. You cannot wish away complaints, grumblings, rumblings, whingings and pot-shots that come your way by going to the Parliament to make a shameless complaint to the whole world that your constituents are complaining about you and, in the same breath, sweepingly and broadly brand your country folks as "A Nation of Complainers". What would the whole world think of you? You cannot demand people to give you respect and be grateful to you by going around suing people until they go bankrupt. Respect is tediously earned by winning the mind of the people but not arrogantly demanded just because you are now sitting in that high almighty golden chair on the top of the ivory tower, with a title that you give yourself or given by your cronies. Gratefulness is painfully acquired by winning the heart of the people but not shamelessly demanded simply because you have the absolute power to do whatever you please. See what had happened to the late Saddam Hussein?

Thirdly, one has to have the skills and finesse to deal with people, to listen to people, to love the people, especially those who are not easy to deal with, those who are nosy and noisy, and those who are not lovable. There is no effort required to deal with those who are easy to deal, to listen to those who have nothing to say, and to love those who are cute and lovable. It is natural. You don't need any special quality or training for that. In other words, you have to be someone very special; someone very patient, very tolerant, and very compassionate. You have to be very good at your inter-personal skills and human-to-human transactional analysis.

Fourthly, one should preferably have the charisma to inspire and the magnetic attribute to win the hearts and minds of the people; to make them like you; to sway their way of thinking, to change mind-sets, and to bring them over to your side. If Mother Nature does not imbue you with these qualities, you still can acquire them through intense and purposeful training while you are still young, not when you are already a ripened brown bamboo. Some of the series of training required are mannerism, poise, posture, presentation and public speaking. Though the trainings would never replace the natural qualities one hundred percent, at least they can help you to be conscious of yourself and project a better aura and image of confidence.

Fifthly, one has to have the courage to admit mistakes and the decency to apologise for his mistakes as quickly as possible but not to delay until it is too late. A good example would be the present Japanese PM, Shinzo Abe, who delayed his apology for the missing millions of public records for pensioners that caused his LDP to suffer a trouncing defeat in the recent election for the Upper House. Another example is the closure of UNSW Asia in less than three months of its inception, where not only an apology to the public for the resulting loss of public funds was not forthcoming but, instead, a happy-go-lucky attitude was arrogantly displayed. This is a clear signal that people are so confident of their own standing that the common folks can be easily brushed aside and dismissed as "pariahs", like what the late Mr Howe Yoon Chong said about those who dodged national service when he was the Minister for Defence. By admitting mistakes, one is showing to the public that one is willing to be accountable, to be responsible and to be answerable to the people. That is what I call a real representative of the people. A genuine politician.

Sixthly, one has to be able to read the ground, i.e. to feel and sense the heat and mood of the people whom he seeks to represent. In Japan today, there is a code among the students when referring to their politicians. The code is "KY". It does not mean Kuan Yew but "kuki yomenai" in Japanese, meaning someone who cannot read the mood of the people. If I say, "You are a KY," that means you are out of touch with the people; you are not able to sense the signals and read the signs that the people are churning out against you. How can a person learn to feel and sense the heat and the mood of your people? You have to come down to earth first. Go and visit your people as often as possible, not just confining to the 2 hours every fortnightly in your meet-the-people sessions. Go and listen to them and share their burdens and sufferings. Go and make surprise visits, not just prearranged visits for the newspapers' cameramen to take your photos kissing babies and pretending to smile. Go and work with them, not conveniently make them work for you and carry your balls - answering you "Yes, Sir!" three bags full.

Lastly, one has to be humble at all times, even if you are under tremendous pressure and stress, even if your own ego and self-esteem are down. You have to put your people's aspirations and interests before your very own, before your family and before your party's agenda and interests. As such one should not claim credit for nor praise oneself, one's boss or one's own party and colleagues publicly. Instead, one should be ever ready to shower praises and give credit to one's subordinates, supporters, followers and constituents openly and unreservedly. That is the real politician at work, not a self-centred, self-serving, egoistic wolf in sheep skins.


Do we have people of such qualities as our politicians?


So, if you are not a politician, you are simply not a politician. It is just like the "char kway teow" you eat in Australia, Britain or Canada. It simply tastes different. It is not the same as the original "char kway teow" in Singapore, isn't it? That is why we are having so many pseudo politicians masquerading as real politicians. That is why we are facing so many problems that have no long-term solutions. That is why we are doing patch-works and fire-fighting all the time. That is why the common folks are facing uncertainty with regard to their education, their job, their marriage, their housing, their old age and their health care. That is why many young and promising graduates are emigrating, living or working overseas because they are uncertain of their stake and future in this City of Post-Be-Lee-Ties!


The Garuda - 22 August 2007.