“Knowing nothing, but thinking he knows everything, points clearly to a political career.”
– George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright
GOVERNING and guiding a nation with people, entrepreneurship and resources requires a steady, sure and stable helmsman to steer the s-h-e-p-p-s (acronym: social harmony, economic prosperity, political stability) ship carefully through treacherous waters.
S-h-e-p-p-s should not be adrift with the promise of becoming a Robinson Crusoe without a Man Friday. Whether legislation and constitutional amendment will play the roles of lifeguard, lighthouse and lifeboat is unknown.
Founders and pioneers would be turning in their graves if they knew that dedicated socks and flags vigilantes would one day disrupt and disturb social harmony in a multi-cultural society enjoying fertile minds, soil and opportunities.
Containing, chastising and controlling a few troublemakers constantly defying democracy, decency and dignity like a lone crusader is a law enforcement impossibility – by choice.
“Allah does not forbid you to be good to them and treat them with equity and justice who did not fight against you on (the question of) din (religion), nor did they drive you out of your homes.” – Surah Al-Hujurat (60:8-9) (English Language Version)
This code of conduct as commanded in the Holy Quran should be crystal clear to believers who instead choose to do as they please as an arrogant act of defiance and disobedience.
Leon Trotsky believed that bureaucracy and social harmony are inversely proportional to each other. Malaysia needs more technocrats to fulfil the role of genuine policy creators.
Malaysia’s per capita GDP (a measure of a country’s economic output that is divided by the number of people living in the country) is said to be USD12,370 in 2025, reflecting a diversified economy with strong services and manufacturing sectors with a relatively low inflation rate, according to recent OECD publications.
So, we are strong in terms of economic prosperity which translates to a vibrant private sector, free from bureaucratic control from the public sector. Technocrats outnumber bureaucrats in the private sector and vice versa in the public sector.
Political leadership must heed Thomas Sowell’s warning that fragmented knowledge acquired by the common man in any society about money and the prices of goods and services can lead to chaos. The culprit of course is the demented education system.
Reflecting on political stability is a totally dismal and disturbing effort. We are living with a unity government until the next general election. The Federal Constitution has not been amended to include a provision for a coalition government.
So, if this provision is not in the Federal Constitution – the supreme law of the land – it can also mean that the unity government is unconstitutional. But the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as a dedicated s-h-e-p-p-s advocate, invited political parties to cooperate and govern as a unity government.
The Opposition meanwhile is effective to the extent that it has no restrictions to castigate, criticise and chastise the unity government. It offers no constructive solutions or practical remedies either, and the public purse pays them for this dysfunctional imperative!
It is nauseating to witness the deterioration of political stability because of myopic focus by choice. It’s a jungle out there. The rules, roars and rumbles of the mighty mouse of ignorance are unmistakable.
It is equally exasperating to see inaction by the politicians to effectively drain the swamp. These lackluster ‘leaders’ have succeeded in eroding the public trust while shamelessly waiting for the next elections to usher in another era of inaction.
S-h-e-p-p-s is further threatened if not diminished by the lack of adequate legislation and constitutional fortitude to castigate leaders who fail to deliver. We cannot go on in this manner and fashion.
S-h-e-p-p-s demands that government gets on with the business of keeping the national interest always as a top priority. Any semblance of disruption or disturbance to the status quo needs firm and stern correcting.
Our bureaucrats and wannabe technocrats go on overseas trips dubbed as ‘lawatan sambil belajar‘. It has become a standing joke. What, if any, did they study that they are able to apply at home? Nobody knows but everybody cares.
Such extravagance can be attributed to a 24/7/365 ringgit-printing machine courtesy of Giesecke & Devrient, a German banknote printing company established and located in September 2003 in Shah Alam. Who watches them?
Changing the mindsets of mindless policies and politicians is near impossible. Are our political leaders capable of doing the right thing as demanded by the rewarding s-h-e-p-p-s culture created, designed and structured for every Malaysian?
Malay unity seems to take the upper hand while Malaysian unity is a constitutional castaway. It is as if the “legitimate interests of other communities” enumerated in Article 153 Federal Constitution is merely a parchment promise.
Recently retired Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat gracefully commented in a recent gathering that politicians are the greatest threat to the Federal Constitution while reminding the prime minister to stay out of judicial appointments.
The s-h-e-p-p-p-s culture can be cultivated, nurtured and made to provide for a GDP (General Domestic Peace) which is not so gross or grotesque to accomplish by politicians who take an oath to protect, defend and uphold the Federal Constitution.
Voters must up the ante to demand the right stuff from those they chose to elect. A partner in rhyme recently reminded us of the Dewan Riot inability to maintain decorum while feigning lawmaker roles. S-h-e-p-p-s suffers.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at chiefjudge@secamtektektribe.org.
