HONESTLY, DO THEY EXPECT US TO TRUST THEM?
11/10/2009 10:30:00 AM Lovingly unplugged by masterwordsmith
I often wonder how a nation that had so much potential can wither away to where we are today. So often, we tend to look at others with so much suspicion and doubt. What led to such a scenario? Trust should be present instead of suspicion but alas, it has to be earned. It is not easy to build trust. Whatever trust has been developed in the past can be shattered easily with just one error.
Where the nation is concerned, many citizens have been vocal in expressing their desire for justice, integrity and transparency in governance but these cries have fallen on deaf ears and the status quo seems to be more bent on achieving their evil agenda to deprive citizens of what is rightfully theirs.
In such a situation, can there be trust?
On one hand some declare their desire to serve the rakyat but go about doing the exact opposite. Then there are those who engage professionals to expertly craft their media messages or campaigns which they regurgitate happily at official functions BUT when they speak off the cuff, nothing but farcical and fallacious statements are spat from their mouths.
So how do you expect the rakyat like us to feel?
Do they really think we are so dumb as not to have the ability to put two and two together to see the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of the statements? Granted that some of them have their neurons centred on deceit and other devious schemes to plunder and re-direct what rightfully belongs to the citizens to other accounts.
What about the Opposition? Do they have much to offer?
I am a very fair and objective person. Whilst I may lambaste the status quo, I am also aware of the shortcomings of the other side. No one is perfect in this world, including myself. BUT, there is one thing that the Opposition must realize - their public relations strategy is totally a washout to say the least.
On one hand, we see how some can spend RM20million to boost their public image and international repute or the little that is left of it. On the other hand, we see how representatives from component parties of PR do not think before they speak and spew statements that dent the already heavily dented armour of the Opposition.
What are some of the issues that Pakatan Rakyat leaders have to realize?
1. Do not wash dirty linen in public to earn the rakyat's trust and confidence in the party.
Party unity and cohesiveness are vital to earn the trust of supporters. Identifying areas of weakness within and lambasting guilty ones in public do nothing for its public image! For instance, a cry to shape up or ship out may come from a sincere heart to reinforce areas of weakness BUT can't this message be communicated in such a way that puts the Opposition side in a more positive light? At the same time, the antics and independent statements of some quarters and the reaction of the leaders to these have undermined the credibility of the Opposition front. They must act to reinforce areas of weakness lest they disintegrate from an impending implosion.
A lot would depend on their public relations/media strategist for them to vet the messages and to ensure that the message is communicated via the right medium/channel to effect the correct response from the target audience. As it is, I think the negative effects of their statements have outnumbered positive effects, if any.
2. Slow responses to attacks from the other camp does not mean resilience. It only shows that the victim of such attacks is contributing to the lack of damage control.
A good example would be the Kampung Buah Pala issue. There have been so many attacks on the Penang Opposition government which have dented their image and to the extent that many have a negative perspective of the issue/opposition. Lies have to be put to the test. If there are certain quarters who persist in spewing these lies, the Opposition government must immediately respond with media statements as a damage control measure.
Silence or indifference does not mean that one is innocent. Neither does it show the resilience of the victim of such attacks. To the public, it could mean that they are silent because they are guilty.
As a mass communications undergraduate, I was blessed with excellent lecturers who emphasized the importance of dealing with crisis messages or damage control. As a lecturer in business communication, journalism and other writing courses years ago, I passed on this message when I trained my students to formulate the right response in good news/bad news situations. And now, as a concerned citizen, I am appealing to the Opposition to pull up their socks and think before they speak lest they lose ground support.
I have seen the media statements from some quarters and to me, it is all but rhetoric which saddens me deeply.
Words carry no meaning per se because it is the receiver of the message who give meaning to the words - that is a basic principle that I impart to my students in the first few lectures of my courses. It is sad that some quarters think that just because they say something, their audience will swallow whatever they communicate to them.
What utter nonsense!
In communication theory, the meaning of any message is in the person and not in the words. We are the ones who give meaning to the message according to our frames of reference, past experiences, prejudices, expectations and so on. Thus, it is time these leaders think about the rakyat before they open their mouths to speak!
Apart from that, we must remember that a literate person would exercise selective exposure and selective retention of messages. For instance, I choose what I want to read and I decide what to remember. There could be thousands of messages out there but it is up to me to expose myself to those messages just as you, dear reader, chose to read my humble blog.
Apart from that, we must remember that a literate person would exercise selective exposure and selective retention of messages. For instance, I choose what I want to read and I decide what to remember. There could be thousands of messages out there but it is up to me to expose myself to those messages just as you, dear reader, chose to read my humble blog.
3. Pakatan Rakyat need better PR (public relations) strategy.
I strongly believe that the time has come for Pakatan Rakyat to concentrate on damage control because they are resting too much on their laurels. Please do not think that the citizens will always support you. They will continue to give you their support IF you continue to show that:
* you are serious in offering a better alternative to the present regime
* you are carefully selecting and training better leaders to take over
* you have a blue-print for national development which is beyond mere rhetoric
* you are capable of dealing with the attacks from the other side because you have a system that is impenetrable.
Dear reader, my heart is deeply saddened when I see the developments in our country. I love my country as I am sure you do and I am sure you would want to see a better environment than what we have today.
The fact is this. If we want to see a better country, we need better leaders. If we want better leaders, we need quality in Malaysians which can only come about if there is serious reform in education policies and many other areas and that can only come about if there is a new government in place because if status quo is maintained, I am quite certain you all know what may happen to us.
So what do we do then as citizens?
EXERT PRESSURE.
We need to pressure our elected representatives - ADUNs and Members of Parliament to perform and to fulfil their moral obligation to us and to keep their promises. Ultimately, the time has come for us to take a more active role in our country. If we fail to do so, rot which has already set in will beget maggots and can you imagine what will happen then?
I sincerely hope that there will come a time when we can place our complete trust in our government that can walk the talk, practice what it preaches and govern this country justly with transparency, accountability and stability. I pray for the time when we can see quality leaders standing for elections - people whom we can look up to, respect and vote for confidently with no doubts or feelings of suspicion.
Does such a situation exist now? So can they blame the rakyat when they are filled with suspicion?
Honestly, do they expect us to trust them?
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To my regular readers, my deepest apologies for not posting as much as I normally do. The reason is because I am still unwell and my head is spinning due to vertigo. Please pardon the lack of unity/flow of ideas in this post. I had wanted to write about this since Sunday but could only do so today. Thanks for your patience with me. Have a good day.
I strongly believe that the time has come for Pakatan Rakyat to concentrate on damage control because they are resting too much on their laurels. Please do not think that the citizens will always support you. They will continue to give you their support IF you continue to show that:
* you are serious in offering a better alternative to the present regime
* you are carefully selecting and training better leaders to take over
* you have a blue-print for national development which is beyond mere rhetoric
* you are capable of dealing with the attacks from the other side because you have a system that is impenetrable.
Dear reader, my heart is deeply saddened when I see the developments in our country. I love my country as I am sure you do and I am sure you would want to see a better environment than what we have today.
The fact is this. If we want to see a better country, we need better leaders. If we want better leaders, we need quality in Malaysians which can only come about if there is serious reform in education policies and many other areas and that can only come about if there is a new government in place because if status quo is maintained, I am quite certain you all know what may happen to us.
So what do we do then as citizens?
EXERT PRESSURE.
We need to pressure our elected representatives - ADUNs and Members of Parliament to perform and to fulfil their moral obligation to us and to keep their promises. Ultimately, the time has come for us to take a more active role in our country. If we fail to do so, rot which has already set in will beget maggots and can you imagine what will happen then?
I sincerely hope that there will come a time when we can place our complete trust in our government that can walk the talk, practice what it preaches and govern this country justly with transparency, accountability and stability. I pray for the time when we can see quality leaders standing for elections - people whom we can look up to, respect and vote for confidently with no doubts or feelings of suspicion.
Does such a situation exist now? So can they blame the rakyat when they are filled with suspicion?
Honestly, do they expect us to trust them?
----------------------------------------------------------------
To my regular readers, my deepest apologies for not posting as much as I normally do. The reason is because I am still unwell and my head is spinning due to vertigo. Please pardon the lack of unity/flow of ideas in this post. I had wanted to write about this since Sunday but could only do so today. Thanks for your patience with me. Have a good day.
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November 10, 2009 1:01 PM
I fully agree. Today such words like integrity, humility and reliability are certainly missing. Teachers' trainers are partly to be blamed.They churned out 'instructors' not teachers and the Faculty of Education in the local unis are staffed by phds without passion!!!! Prayers do seem to work; I read somewhere that we have 'dumb gods'.....Anyway, keep up your good work! bengaun
November 10, 2009 1:15 PM
Dear Beng Aun,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and for your encouraging comment.
I fully agree with you on this. The lack of passion and a purposeless style in living spells doom for the nation. I regard educational institutions as one of the most important institutions in any nation and if such malaise exists there, what then does the future hold for us?
Unfortunately, this malaise has spread silently but surely to many other areas of life in a most pervasive manner. Instead of arresting the problem at the core, leaders treat symptomatic aspects and expect us to be contented with such lame offerings.
Challenging times necessitates prayer and supplications indeed.
Take care and blessings to you.
November 10, 2009 4:32 PM
Dear Paula,
I agree the nation need good leaders.
A GM of a huge company in Malaysia once said "to be a good leader, one must be a good person himself".
Whichever party that assumes the role of the government should always have 'watchdogs', that may come in the forms of opposition parties or even the rakyat themselves. This element of monitoring, or observing, always work in any establishment in order to yield results and tip-top performance.
What we need is improvement, as well as the support to generate this improvement, not people 'killing' each other. Improvement can only come with elements of change.I think any party focusing more on improvement and positive changes that it'd like to bring for the rakyat, rather than focusing to attack or 'kill' other parties would win the hearts of the majority.
More people are educated nowadays, and information is more and more 'telus', easily accessible and available; therefore we're able to evaluate and make judgements which are not baseless. If majority of the rakyat feels the leader/party is on the right track and support their cause, they would translate this in their votes.
Successor of any leaders (or a party replacing another) should always perform better than the former. Or else it only spells doom in the next election.
**
I hope you're feeling well now. Take a good rest. A bowl of hot crab soup may help. (also a good massage!)
November 10, 2009 5:19 PM
Dear Chahya
Thanks so much for such a wise comment that has embellished what I have been trying to say in my post.
Indeed our country lack watchdog organizations and even existing ones lack participation. The media has also failed to play its role as a watchdog on the government and has instead changed itself to a lap dog that delights in pandering the whims and fancies of the government.
The power struggle within ech party and between parties is most unhealthy and sets a very bad example to the younger set. It is evident that they have their personal interests at heart and to a certain extent, that of their party - both of which may not necessarily be good for the rakyat.
And when the rakyat choose to keep quiet and to suffer all this nonsense, the parties concerned seem to be get away with anything or nothing that they do. How sad!
I am much better now, thanks. For the first time in my life, I enjoyed the luxury of a three-hour afternoon nap! :-)
Take care, my dear friend and here's wishing you a lovely evening with your loved ones.
Salam,
Paula
November 11, 2009 12:06 AM
Dear Paula,
I sensed a tinge of pessimism in your latest post. It does get to you doesn't it?
Our country has lost her way no thanks to leaders who cater and subscribe to narrow and warped ideas on how to manage the country. Universal values like transparency, justice/fairness, meritocracy and so on ought to be adopted..values that are good for the citizens and the nation. Instead things like corruption, inefficiency, mediocrity and other ills are allowed to fester and grow.
When one listen to the speeches made by the present crop of leaders( those off the cuff ), one can see the emptiness in their logic and intellect. How sad. Compare them to people like Zaid Ibrahim's and its night and day. Zaid's reasoning, maturity and intellect immediately captures one's attention. That is the sad thing about Malaysia. Men who does not have the capability to run the country are tasked to do so. Mediocre leaders beget mediocre subordinates. It will really take a near miracle to get out of the doldrums.
Hope you are feeling better. Try to take some time off from the computer. Penang offers so many nice parks and beaches not to mention the glorious food. Am sure a stroll in these places will do you good. Cheers.
Best wishes,Edward
November 11, 2009 12:21 AM
Dear Edward,
How lovely to see you again! I've missed your wise and penetrating comments.
Indeed you are right. I am feeling quite pessimistic and the more I read what those leaders say, the more I wish I could have been an elected representative instead of just a humble housewife cum blogger. Alas, life is not as simple as that.
The soul of our nation has evaporated. We have been sucked dry not just in dollars and cents but in terms of nationalistic feelings/patriotism. In the midst of such cancer-like growths sprouting here and there, we plaster ourselves with remedies - short-term and long-term ones hoping that things will improve but they don't seem to get better but worse.
It is outrageous how the evil ones prosper and those upright and righteous ones have to suffer.
With pathetic leaders at the helm and even more pathetic subordinates, there is only one way that the nation can be heading - spiralling downwards!
Add all that together - doom.
And do people really care? Many are emotional but we need to step beyond this realm of existence and to move in a purposeful manner to make our stand clear and cohesive that those leaders know that they cannot get away from us because we are the ones who put them there and we can do just the opposite.
Alas, that can be done only once in a few years. What about the in-between period?
Are we expected to suffer their nonsense for a few years?
Surely there must be some checking system or alert system whereby those who do not perform must step down.
*sighs*
I really wish and pray for a miracle soon...
Thanks for your well wishes. I did rest a lot and am actually halfway through an a**-kicking post hehehe...
Take care and have a lovely evening.
Blessings to you and yours,
Paula
P.S. Many apologies to all for the many typo mistakes in my response to Chahya's comment. I was still quite groggy when I wrote that.
November 11, 2009 12:54 AM
corrupt leaders need corrupt followers to see thru their corrupt system.a corrupt establishment needs a corrupt IGP to shut down the truth.a corrupt power-that-be needs a corrupt AG to cover-up the all the rendezvous. and a corrupt govt needs everything corrupt to stay in power coz with corruption..anything is on the table $$$!after 50 years this is what umno has been.corruption is in their veins.and to expect that to change is plain dream and outward stupid!i would give my better bet to PR the next GE13.knowing nik aziz,guan end,tian chua,,sivarasa and the gangs..i would give them a chance.yes there will be few hiccups but i would take them as part of the process of change.what the mess we malaysians are in now was never a one day job but rather a continuous and accumulative adverse social,political,economical policies of umno/bn!...btw guys try to check-in YB adun Hulu Klang's site (sdr Ir shaari sungib)
and that could give some glimpse of what kind of change we might get if we give a chance for PR to run the show in toto....chow!
November 11, 2009 1:33 AM
Dear Anonymous @ 12.54 a.m.
Thanks for your very passionate response. I am on your side and would definitely give Pakatan Rakyat my support in the next election. However, I am very concerned about the way some of the leaders are formulating their media statements which seems to give more negative vibes than positive ones.
I heard Datuk Zaid Ibrahim speak last week and received a snapshot of what awaits us should PR take over. In the mean time, what is important is that they gain and not lose ground support.
Thanks for sharing. I will check out the website after I post this comment.
In the mean time, have a good rest and thanks for popping by and for sharing your thoughts.
Best wishes,
mws