Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli laments that Malaysian society evaluates politicians based on their personalities and the sentiments they ride on, rather than actual competence to lead.
The former economy minister said this had led to many prime ministerial candidates being pushed forward but few with solutions for the nation’s problems.
“Our society’s culture evaluates a leader based on sentiments and personality, not capability or knowledge to govern and solve issues. This is despite political leaders being paid to govern and solve issues.
“That is the root of our society’s ailment of having many prime ministerial candidates but few formulas to resolve issues. Because we don’t pay attention to the ideas politicians bring, but instead glorify sentiments and personalities,” he said in a Facebook post.
Rafizi said Malaysian society must change its way of electing politicians and political parties if it wants to see the nation overcome its problems.
“Otherwise, this cycle will continue, problems will drag on, and in the end, the ones who actually suffer are the unpaid, blind loyalists,” he said.
Although he made no reference to it, Bersatu’s general assembly over the weekend named party president Muhyiddin Yassin as its prime ministerial candidate for the 16th general election.
A commotion erupted as Muhyiddin opened the assembly on Saturday night after he revealed that some had been collecting signatures to oust him.
A small group of delegates then called for him to step down, while the majority of attendees broke into chants of “Hidup Tan Sri” in his support.
Rafizi said turmoil in major political parties was a norm, with other parties like DAP, Umno, PAS and even his own party, PKR, facing issues that could divide them.
The Pandan MP, who lost the PKR deputy presidency in May, added that the culture of blindly staying loyal to a leader was toxic, with supporters hurling insults online at detractors in what he described as bordering on cyberbullying.
