SHOULD politicians be trusted to run a country?

SHOULD politicians be trusted to run a country? “The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty,” my visiting American friend said, quoting John Adams, co-author of the 1776 American Declaration of Independence and second President of the United States. We were debating the Obama vs McCain presidential campaigns that will culminate in November in a “defining moment for America.” Defining? “Well, not really,” said my friend. What, not the possibility of the first black man to be president of the US, who offers youth, hope, change but otherwise doesn’t have much of a track record in legislation or administration? Or a 72-year-old former prisoner-of-War, an early advocate of climate change, pledging to end the style of governing on behalf of the fringe elements in American society but has publicly sung “bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” to the tune of the Beach Boys’ song Barbara Ann? “Not the Cult of the First again, or the old war hero gambit,” my friend sighed. “Ultimately, all candidates listen to the interests of business and industry, in whatever guise they come. “And as for the choice between candidates…” My friend waggled his hand. “It’s a few percentage points this way or that. In the end, they all come towards the centre and then it’s just a choice between personalities. But life largely goes on in the States. It’s what people really want with a bit of trimming on the sides either way.” And in the UK? At the House of Commons three months ago, a Member of Parliament told a group of us lobbyists, “My constituency is all; nothing else; nothing which won’t get me selected (by the party) or elected (by the people).” That sums it up. Among MPs, young and old, here in the UK or the US or elsewhere, they scrap for position and power as dogs scrap for bones, snarling, scratching and fighting until they come out top. Many cover this with a veneer of seeming statesmanship while fiddling with allowances, taking favours from commercial suitors and driving in cars with fancy number plates. They want respect and privileges too. So what keeps a country going? To hear my American friend, politicians and politics are the circus trick; it is the rest of the governing structure – including a rock solid Constitution; devolution of power to states, provinces and towns; independent courts and independent election commissions; accountable law enforcement agencies; freedom of expression and movement; a stable economic structure and system – that keeps the whole together. Politicians come and go – and least that is how it should be – but politicians love the dance of politics, the excitement, the exhilaration, the danger, the rewards. And, let’s face it, we love to watch them. As far as I can see, only Switzerland has achieved the near ideal of relegating politicians to also-rans with a Federal Council of seven elected from the Federal Assembly. The Head of State position is rotated among the seven for one-year terms and he or she only chairs the business of government and is trotted out for ceremonial roles. Does any Swiss know who the current president of the confederation is? Rarely. The Swiss practise direct democracy: if 50,000 citizens challenge a law passed by Parliament, it has to go to a national vote; if 100,000 citizens want to change the constitution, it has to go to a national vote. Who runs the economy? Probably the famed Gnomes of Zurich, that is, the banking sector. The growing carnage that is Malaysian politics, now entering a Middle Game, or maybe an End Game, brings to mind the 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who said, “Madness is rare in individuals – but in groups, political parties, nations, and eras it’s the rule.” And so the world dances to the political cha-cha music of its times. Altogether now, forward step cha-cha-cha, back step cha-cha-cha…
• Cheryl Dorall was a senior journalist and newspaper editor in Malaysia before falling victim to Operasi Lalang in 1987. She is now based in London and can be contacted at cheryldorall@yahoo.co.uk.

Source: Malay Mail – July 18, 2008