Let's discuss and not make a fuss

Malaysian Business, Nov 16, 2005 by A Kadir Jasin

A VISIT to a politician's Open House, irrespective of whether the host is on the government's side or the opposition's, has not always been a pleasant experience if you are a scribe, more so if you write other than for the purpose of pleasing him.

You can have the most tolerant person or the best of friend, but when he becomes a politician, he is bound to be less tolerant and certainly less friendly if you do not praise him enough.

Of course, you stand a good chance of being declared his `public enemy number one' if you criticise him. Such is the nature of politics and politicians in our environment.

Over the years, I have acquired quite a bit of knowledge about handling such people. One of the ways is to visit them during their Open Houses. On such occasions, they are more forgiving and are not likely to make a scene in the presence of other guests. Also, they do not have the time to engage you in lengthy conversations.

The climax to these visits is the Prime Minister's Hari Raya Open House, which in the last two years has been enlarged to become a joint Open House by Muslim Cabinet members. This is one of the innovations introduced by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he became Prime Minister at the end of 2003.

So, I have gone to two Cabinet Open Houses so far. The latest, on Nov 3 - the first day of Hari Raya - was held at the Putra World Trade Centre. When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was Prime Minister, he held it at Seri Perdana, the Prime Minister's official residence. I have always considered Seri Perdana a better place for such an occasion. It is more homely - which is one of the key elements of Raya visits - and gives an opportunity to the people to get to know where the Prime Minister lives. After all, Seri Perdana is supposed to be open to the public.

During my most recent visit to Seri Perdana, I noticed that the statehouse had been fairly extensively renovated.

According to a Parliament question-and-answer session, the renovation cost RM12.5 million.

Don't sweep issues under the carpet

IN my humble opinion, it is good for the Prime Minister, Ministers and other public servants to share with the people, at least once a year, the comfort of their homes. After all, if not the houses, their upkeep is paid for by the people.

For me, these visits offer an opportunity to minta ampun (seek forgiveness), say thank you and renew friendships. I think we should try to remain friends even though we disagree with each other.

It is for this reason that I feel comfortable greeting and engaging the Parliament Opposition Leader, Lim Kit Siang, in small talk at these Open Houses. Not only because we are regulars at Raju's banana leaf restaurant, but also because he has a healthy way of disagreeing with the Press. When I was appointed Group Editor of the New Straits Times in 1988, his party's newspaper - The Rocket - wrote a stinging report saying that I was given the job as a reward for supporting the privatisation of the North-South Highway.

I think it would do a lot of good if politicians make it a point to respond to media reports and analyses by writing to them instead of making general complaints and using their power to discourage certain issues from being discussed.

They may not have the time or the flair to write, but with so many of them employing supposedly well-educated and highly intelligent pegawai khas (special officers), they should instruct these young men and women to write the replies for them.

The last passionate letter addressed to this column (when it appeared in the New Sunday Times) came from Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein.

He was responding to my assessment of his father's rule (1976- 1981), which he thought was inaccurate and unjust. It was a very well- penned letter and the New Sunday Times published it in full. Hishammuddin is now Education Minister.

The most recent response from a politician to this column came from the Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo. He instructed a former subordinate of mine from my New Straits Times days, who is now working for him, to write a reply. I thank him for his efforts.

In line with today's mantra of transparency, accountability and integrity, I think politicians should be more willing to argue their case and articulate their thoughts in public.

They cannot simply say that we should not discuss this or that subject - like our relations with Singapore, the sale of Malaysian companies to foreigners and the downgrading of our bursa - in the media or in public.

Sweeping these and other important issues under the carpet or muffling the Press will not solve the problem. The ostrich burying its head in the sand will not stop the sandstorm.

DUMBING DOWN

IN a world addicted to celebrity, having a celebrity wife, as some people have found out the hard way, is not always a bonus. But if you are a celebrity-addict and love the limelight, then that is exactly what you should do.

Get yourself a celebrity wife and you become an overnight sensation. That is if you are equally well-known. If you are not, then you must be prepared to be reduced to `the man who married a famous singer'.