I RECENTLY came across these words in an article, “Given that most politicians can barely pronounce their own names without messing up, it’s easy to forget that politics is all about rhetoric”.

This is quite true before and after May 9. For that matter, to be fair, it is the same in any part of the world. As much as we try to convince ourselves that change is possible for the common good, politicians have somewhat acquired the art of bungling many things with their rhetoric.

When Barisal National became the opposition after GE14, Pakatan Harapan called on it to be a good opposition for the purposes of check and balance. 

However, when the current opposition does point out some of the shortcomings of this new government, PH politicians quickly resort to either blaming the previous government for having started it or not making an effort to change it while in power.

Somewhat, the blame game doesn’t seem to stop and makes me wonder for how much longer this will continue. And so, the rhetoric continues.

It was Theodore Roosevelt who rightly said, “Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big.”

If we are to make Malaysia great again, it/s time to think big and act big. For us to start thinking big, there is a need to think out of the box or else we will be same old same old.

Changing after 60 years is not an easy journey and unnerving for many. It may even make some wonder, did we make the right choice at the polls. However, if this government doesn’t start now, it only gets more difficult with time.

Acknowledging that it’s barely a year that PH has come to power, many people are hearing and reading disturbing and hateful rhetoric.

Since May 9, many have found a new sense of freedom to express openly their thoughts but that does not warrant distasteful and disrespectful comments on either side of the political divide.

Given that a leopard cannot change its spots, politicians also seem unable to shed their mischievous traits each time a by-election comes around… the endless promise of goodies if one is elected.

We complain that politicians are throwing promises prior to elections but they only do so because voters expect freebies and as long as we sit around and wait for them, they will continue to dole out gifts and disappear soon after the elections and only to be seen at the next one.

Recently, Education Minister Dr Mazlee Malik called some stakeholders to a gathering at Universiti Putra Malaysia to speak about the successes of his ministry. After all the flak that he has been getting, someone must have thought, let’s tell everyone our success stories. In some ways, a laudable plan.

But this also makes me think, if these are success stories, don’t they speak for themselves? The feel-good factor must be felt by voters and surely not a time for those in authority to masuk bakul angkat sendiri (to blow one’s own trumpet).

And yet again more rhetoric. Even the famous comedian Mel Brooks understood, “rhetoric does not get you anywhere”.

Malaysian politics needs a new narrative, a new paradigm and perhaps it’s time to put aside all rhetoric and let the rakyat see change for we did vote for change and not just the government.

If the Malaysian mindset is to be changed, then those who govern us need to lead the way. – January 21, 2019.

* Dr Clarence Devadass is a Catholic priest and director of the Catholic Research Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Moral education is an issue close to his heart. He focuses on paving resourceful ways to promote virtues for living in a multireligious society, for a significant life together.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.