Let's Learn MBWA...

        In GE15, I noticed that candidates have played on the need for MPs to be on the ground with the people. 

        For example, my childhood neighbour whom I have not met for over 50 years, Syed Razak Alsagoff puts on a pair of yellow boots to make a statement: "Don't play play with this MP." 

        Somehow the MPs in Pakatan Harapan have been fed a flawed understanding of their role out as national lawmakers, which causes a total disconnect with the constituents in some cases. I have personally experienced this with Tony Pua, when he became the MP of Damansara.

        In the past, it was because a number of MPs and State Assemblymen from Barisan Nasional had been living in their own bubbles that caused many of us to work hard to kick them out. 

        It is not because I am picking on him, but his is an extreme example, and I have personal experiences with him for over two years. Others before my two years had complained against him, but I initially took it with a pinch of salt. My view of him only changed over the two years to the point that I was happy to say, Goodbye Tony Pua. 

Flawed Teaching

        I hope whoever becomes the MP of Damansara will from now on learn how to be closer with the constituents. I repeat this: it is hard for lawmakers to say that they are elected by the people for the people when they do not even go down to the ground. 

        Worse is when the lawmaker hardly attends the parliamentary sessions, and only people with convoluted logics like Hadi Awang would defend their poor attendance by saying that parliament is not like schools. Well, to Hadi, I would like to say, "You are paid to attend parliament on behalf of your constituents. Can we cut your salaries?"

        I don’t disagree that technically MPs are to look at national issues BUT that alone is a flawed understanding of the role of the MP. Even non-MPs like me could see that this is creating a disconnect with the voters themselves. And the more MPs take the TP swing, the wider is the gap.

        During a session at Dreamcentre on Nov 13, 2022, one of the candidates was talking on national issues which people already know. His opponent spoke about issues on the ground which people could relate to but unfortunately, at this juncture, the candidate is in the wrong party. 

        In another incident which I have mentioned before, after the local MP attended a meeting with the residents, she asked, "Why are you only interested in the local issues? We have to be interested in the national issues." 

        No one is going to dispute this, but what these residents are telling her the key issues affecting their homes and their living standard in a city that is supposed to be worldclass, and unless the boys on the ground (state assemblyman and local councillors) are doing a great job at solving the issues on the ground, voters are going to feel that even these MPs "up on kayangan" are doing nothing. This is the feedback that I also received from one of the complainants.

        The same can be said about MCA, MIC and UMNO candidates. Only once every five years you get to see them on banners and billboards. With the exception of a few, most are hardly heard of. 

Wrong People Appointed

        I have kept harping on this whole issue about 'rewarding' their boys with a councillor's post, because MPs and state assemblymen have not learnt from their past mistakes. 

        Remember that when you appoint the wrong people, while you can delegate your job, you cannot delegate your responsibilities. This is a basic management principle. 

        Unless you know what is happening on the ground, you won’t come out with the good policies that truly improve the people’s quality of life. People like Tony Pua are only working out of their ivory tower. I hope he will change in his approach, and take off his emperor's clothes and soil his hand to understand how his constituents suffer when the local government fails to deliver their services.

        Just look at the the third tier of government yourself. I like to ask MPs from both sides, which "great policymakers from Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard" during BN and PH time come out with policies that tighten the control of corruption at the local government level? If not, why not? 

        Times have changed, but people's expectations have not. People are most affected by the poor delivery of services by the local government. Whoever wins the General Election this round should put a focus on revamping the local government. 

        Only last night I learnt that Khalid Samad, when he was Federal Territories Minister, had a regular ministerial “council meeting” with all MPs at DBKL, and all these meetings were minuted. But did Shahidan continue with this policy after that? 

        I had proposed to the first batch of local councillors to involve the resident associations and other stakeholders to carry out regular audits on their housing estates systematically looking into a whole lot of things that affect them. 

        Of course, this only works with some resident associations, while a number of such associations exist only for a different objective. Most of the people holding important positions are hardly hands-on, or have they even complained of poor public amenities affecting the people.

        This is why the local MPs still have to be on the ground often enough to ensure that they are with the people, and they care for the voters.

Incarnate as Ordinary Citizens 

        History is so full of stories of kings and emperors who travelled incognito to the countryside just to see how the people suffered under the barons. It is said that King Charles XI who ruled Sweden would wear "a grey cloak to hide his royal uniform as he investigated whether local officials were corrupt and oppressing the people. If evidence of guilt was found he would throw off the cloak in a dramatic fashion revealing his true identity." Click the photo below to read. 

        
        Even former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad would go around in an unmarked vehicle driven by his Chinese friend to places where he could see what was happening. In his typical fashion, he would then jot them down on his notebook. 

        Come Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, he would bring out his notebook to ask his cabinet ministers one by one. This was Dr Mahathir's way of keeping his cabinet ministers on the toe. 

        Complaints in the media were immediately taken care of by the local council boys. But after Dr Mahathir's era, none of the other prime ministers did this or even spent enough time on the ground. 

        Even though the disgraced Najib Abdul Razak, who is supposed to be on the ground more than any other MPs, said all the things that riled up the people. This is why everyone wanted him in jail to shut him out of public life. 

        So please, MPs and MP wannabes from both sides, learn from the past mistakes, and ESPECIALLY a word to Gobind Singh Deo who is replacing Tony Pua in the coming general election, please set aside at least 30 to 40 percent of your time on the ground. The other 10 percent can come from chat groups that you join to watch. We do no expect you to answer to every question asked, but get your people to answer.

        Groom up your successors to be on the ground making sure that the local boys are doing their jobs and not giving false impressions that they are doing a great job.

        And if someone like Tony Pua wants to be involved in policymaking, please make sure he spends at least 50 per cent of his time meeting the people on the ground not in some airconditioned meeting rooms. 

        It is time that MPs learn Management by Walking About (MBWA). I hope Rafizi Ramli can maintain this mode, even after the GE. He won't need to campaign in GE16, and he will win hands-down in Pandan. Simple formula for all MPs.

          

        This MP will have to depend on giving more goodies and maybe money to the kampung chiefs in order to remain as their MP.