Managing change and chaos

DEC 24, 2008 – As we wind down the year of 2008, the March 8 general election will most certainly go down as the one single event that shaped the year.
Analyses of how the election was won and lost, the issues surrounding it and the consequences of the election on the political landscape, economy and social well being of the country and its population continue to bombard us as we close the chapter of 2008.
One thing that struck me most is how unprepared we are to accept, manage and adapt to changes.
When BN almost obliterated the Opposition In the 2004 general election by winning 90% of the parliamentary seats, PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi was at that point of time hailed as a reformer.
From that point onwards, every single action of the government was scrutinized and more importantly, this dissection was done in a very obvious and open manner (by design or otherwise).
Many in Abdullah's administration were not able to manage the drastic change in the approach towards political management as compared to the former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's almost autocratic management style.
We were served with an array of mouth-watering political debates; not just between the Opposition and the government but more hilariously between BN Ministers and component member parties themselves.
In doing so, they revealed their true colours with despicable antics and aloofness as well as unsophisticated actions and reasoning to the public.
This delicacy of political chaos has been the hallmark of Abdullah's administration, which we are grateful that he persevered with or of his inability to reverse the wave of change.
Fast forward to 2008, the country is still unable to manage and adapt to the new dynamics emerging within the political and economic sphere.
March 8 was more than just a political tsunami; it was a total disaster for the establishment but it also was a godsend for those hoping for change.
Those supporting the establishment blamed it upon the weakness of their leadership in allowing open dissension within the rank and file that ultimately led to the biggest defeat they have ever faced.
They hope for a return to the old order, a firm hand in managing the political scene.
Basically, they want to be ordered about, they liked to be barked at and they find joy if they are reminded that they cannot think nor survive for themselves without the intervention of the state.
At the same time, they also want to prolong the hand-me-down economic benefits which went uninterrupted for so long.
They desire for that calm and stability in the domestic scene, for this is a paradigm and mindset that they were brought up on for decades.
They have yet to realize that the dynamics have changed and people are less daunted by change.
Hence, they will not change their ways and will always be in self destruct mode.
On the opposite side of the fence, the opening up of media self-censorship especially in the Chinese, Tamil and English medias have largely benefitted the Opposition.
They took full advantage and with those medias giving them more coverage, the often negative public opinion of them were largely neutralized.
The momentum that was built snowballed into an unexpected win for the Opposition on March 8 but at the same time they have also not been able to digest these changes.
The performance of the Opposition's infant state governments has yet to prove to the public that they are able to satisfy their high expectations and at the same time surpass the achievements of their predecessors.
The way they behave is very much like an Opposition, not realizing that they are now given powers beyond their wildest dreams to govern and make the actual changes required by the country.
They had better change their mould fast before people begin to change their minds and take back the opportunity given to them in the first place.
Civil societies and pressure groups are also among the main catalysts responsible for the transformational changes in the country's political and social landscape.
However, with the country being more open to democratic changes there have been efforts using the name of civil society groups that intend to turn back the clock on the progress that the country has made.
Religious and racial undertones seem to be the order of the day for these minute groupings.
Their interest is too obvious for everyone to see with their emotionally charged demands pushing for a return to status quo.
These fringe groups are uneasy with any form of expressions – by actions or words – that challenge the status quo.
Their relentless efforts have been successful in getting the government, Opposition and civil societies groups and leaders drawn and sucked into this obvious backward agenda.
However, as a democracy, we need to allow all these elements that make up our society – liberals, centrists, socialists, religious, nationalist, etc – to play a part in charting the future of our nation.
Everyone is a stakeholder and everyone deserves a right to be heard as well as play a part in the development of the nation.
While we are grateful that we do not have to face wars and famine like our regional neighbours, the seemingly chaotic period that we are going through is a necessary puberty'phase that the nation has to survive in order to progress and mature.
It is important for everyone to realize that change has begun in earnest and all parties must be ready to accept, manage and improve upon these changes so as not to be deemed irrelevant.
A return to the old order is not what the nation needs and is not what the people deserve.

- published in The Malaysian Insider : Dec 24, 2008