OUTSPOKEN: “Anwar is not God and he should be prepared to face criticisms,” a defiant Matunggong assemblyman Datuk Jelani Hamdan posted on Facebook. The Sabah PKR legislator is currently embroiled in a public spat with his party’s leadership.
It’s interesting to note that Jelani has used such strong language in describing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “He is not God” – a comparison between a political leader and God – is not a term we hear often. Why, were there people in PKR who have likened their party supremo to a superhuman or a divine being? Was Anwar really considered beyond reproach by party cadres and loyalists?
If Anwar himself thinks so, then it’s just too bad. If Anwar is God, then I’m Jesus. Aha!
But I doubt it. Anwar is an old hand in politics and should be able to play down personal accolades. He is also known as a man of great strength and character. However, all of us have egos but politicians, particularly those holding high public office, have bigger egos — so big and heavy that they are incapable of carrying it at times.
Of course, they would be delighted if their supporters continue to polish their egos with their hero-worshipping and adulation - who wouldn’t? We would too.
My worry here is that once those wielding power are put on such a high pedestal, they tend to think that they are somewhat invincible and can do what they like.
In order to continue winning the adulation and affection of their followers, they will likely go overboard and do the wrong thing — abuse their power. This is something which should worry all of us.
Anwar is an enigma. In the months following the 2008 general election, the opposition leader had the largest following of hero-worshippers in the country, in my opinion at least.
I was amazed by the thousands of postings online singing his praises. How his followers idolise him! This man could garner public adulation in a way no other political figure in the country was able to.
Anwar deserved the credit too. For the first time, the Barisan Nasional lost its two-thirds majority and five states to the opposition alliance.
But I was quite perturbed by some PKR leaders who went overboard with their praises for Anwar. In the 2011 PKR convention, Azmin Ali described his boss as the “saviour” of the people and nation.
What? Anwar the saviour! With due respect, I am also a Malaysian and I don’t feel at all that Anwar is my saviour or that of my country. Seriously, I have yet to see anything tangible that Anwar had achieved to “save” Malaysia.
But Anwar has my respect and I have high regard for him as the opposition leader today. I support his anti-corruption drive and his Buku Jingga ideals of justice, transparency and accountability. Being the skeptic that I am, I must see that his policies have been brought to fruition first before I can say “well done, Anwar”.
Perhaps I can understand Azmin. He worships Anwar. That is his right. But Azmin’s choice of a hero is one of personal affiliation. He identifies himself with Anwar while many of us do not.
Anwar is not my political idol because I have none. I do not hero-worship any political leader at all. Why? I feel that there is no politician in the country worthy of such servile flattery. Let’s get real -- there is no Mahatma Gandhi(s) or Nelson Mandela(s) in the Malaysian political scene.
And I would certainly not describe Anwar as a saviour. It’s too heavenly a term to use on a mortal and more so on a political leader. As a Christian, Jesus Christ is my only saviour.
Last year, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also described her husband as “God's gift” to politics. I also felt then that was a bit over the top but I could understand and appreciate somewhat that this was a wife praising her better-half. I would comment no further.
At the Umno general assembly last year, we heard many delegates describing Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the “Father of Transformation”.
Although that was nothing new, I would hesitate to award the prime minister such a high-sounding title. I have yet to witness any major transformation taking place in the country. Many think that the nation is heading nowhere and Malaysians in general are unhappy and disillusioned. The push for “1Malaysia” has turned into a farce and the latest “Endless Possibilities” slogan is another joke. What Najib gave out in BR1M, he took back in the form of new taxes and subsidy cuts. What sort of transformation is that!
Please, let us hold back our accolades for politicians and not over-glorify them. It’s silly of us to do that and it’s also unfair to the recipients for they will be facing undue pressure in trying not to slip from the high pedestal we place them.
To be honest, other than agreeing that Tunku Abdul Rahman is the “Father of Independence”, I don’t think other former prime ministers deserved the public titles that we bestowed on them such as “Father of Development”, “Father of Modernisation”, etc.
Development and modernisation are natural processes in the growth of a nation. Whoever leads just happens to be there. After all, they had fought well and hard for the high public office and were duty bound to deliver.
So, let us not idolise or over-glorify political leaders. Most are undeserving of the accolades or the adulation. More importantly, let us not become a nation of sycophants.
Let history record the achievements of our leaders and glorify them if they are worthy, not us.
Francis Paul Siah heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
THE ANT DAILY
Foto: Ilustrasi oleh Mindra Purnomo-Edi Wahyono
