Three months ago, Nurul Izzah (above) resigned as PKR vice-president and relinquished her posts as PKR Penang chief and other government appointments. Yesterday, she quit the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. And a few years from now, she will end her final term as Member of Parliament.
She did all of this for principles.
This is unusual for Malaysian politics. Most of the time, when the government or party makes a decision that is not agreeable, most politicians would choose to compromise their own principle instead of compromising their positions.
Their calculations are that their positions have substantial power and influence, besides a huge salary. So, by keeping their heads low and wavering on certain principles, they’d be able to maintain status quo unnoticed.
Worse, when our politicians are ridden with an embarrassing scandal, they would still adopt the same strategy of keeping silent and keeping positions.
For example, the fake degree scandal only stayed in the public’s eye for a week, and all the ministers, deputy ministers, menteri besar, and state executive councillors involved have continued holding their positions unscathed.
If even a scandal you are personally involved in is not enough to hurt your pride, then nothing really will.
The kids are watching
The implicit message in all of this is that there is no baseline integrity in the people who hold power - and everything can be compromised.
Some people may think that “principle” is an oversold commodity that is unrealistic and undependable. Smartness in the modern world means evaluating what is beneficial and what is costly, and the consideration of principle seems burdensome and unnecessary.
Therefore, some may feel that the unprincipled decisions and compromises the government made is no big deal. I am more inclined to believe these decisions will affect how our future generation sees government and society.
Because the kids are always watching.
All it takes is for a parent to say at the dinner table that “Wow, you can fake a degree and still be a minister” for this to register in the children’s DNA. Although that will not compel the children to fake a degree, it will create a generation that is comfortable with shortcuts, lies and deceptions.
Nurul Izzah's path less travelled
That is why I hope the story of Nurul Izzah would help us a little. We can now tell our children there is someone who has a glaringly hopeful political and administrative career, a household name, and a rich history that gives her a sense – but who still chooses the path less travelled.
Nurul Izzah could have just waited her turn by keeping silent about all the ills that she saw, or she could have just cosied up to the government and be offered something compatible with her standing.
But she has chosen to forgo all of that in return for the stability of conscience. In that is a belief that there is right and wrong in this world, and the guiding force is the stubborn feeling that will not just simply accept everything that comes our way without putting up a fight.
When there is a mass defection from Umno to Bersatu, you have a choice to adopt double standards or you could choose to call it out before the ills of the past become the ills of today.
When there is slowness in reforms to alleviate the economic lives of the masses, you have a choice to adopt a wait-and-see position, or you could sound an alarm for the government to treat the matter with urgency.
When the PAC chief has defected and is now no longer an opposition member, you have a choice to say that this is not an election promise or you could say enough is enough.
You could treat these events as separate and criticise them individually and quietly, but the cumulative nature of these events would also weigh heavily on you, make you question the strength and importance of your principles.
The story to tell
What Nurul Izzah has done may be pedestrian in countries where there is a high premium attached to political integrity and public shame. But it is precisely because the environment here is antithetical that makes Nurul Izzah’s decision all the more impressive.
Around Chinese New Year, my 15-year-old cousin pointed to the news and told me all the ministers were dumb because they had no degrees. He told me his father said, to be a minister, you just have to kiss enough hands to rise to the top.
Of course, my cousin was wrong and his father had over-generalised. But such claims are not too far from reality, and the highest office violating principles would have a toxic element that influences our next generation.
We have the story of Nurul Izzah to tell, so that when we tell our kids that public office must be pursued with principles of honesty and integrity, they could believe us.- James Chai
In the end you gave it up my dear girl,Nurul,what a waste of talent!
Politics never meant be a bed of roses. Fight back,will you? Keep on fighting dear...
Saya ingin membalas kepada segelintir yang mempersoal kewibawaan YB Nurul Izzah, Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh setelah beliau memberi pandangan dalam satu wawancara bersama Straits Times, Singapura. Antara perkataan - perkataan yang dilontarkan adalah seperti tidak beretika dan tidak berprinsip, cry baby dan sebagainya.
Jangan sewenang - wenangnya mempersoal etika dan prinsip seseorang hanya kerana ingin menunjukkan ketaatan kepada individu lain. Ketaatan yang membuta tidak membawa erti, apatah lagi mempersoal kewibawaan seseorang itu yang sedang lawan satu sistem secara bersendirian.
Yb Nurul Izzah, menerjun ke dunia politik, hanya kerana kezaliman dan kekejaman yang berlaku kepada keluarganya. Sejak tahun 1998, YB Nurul Izzah tidak pernah melalui kehidupan seorang insan yang biasa. Beliau telah mengharungi dunia politik ini dengan penuh penderitaan, penghinaan dan tanpa berperikemanusiaan.
Disebabkan penderitaan sebegitulah, walaupun YB Nurul Izzah, mampu dan boleh memilih jalan yang senang (selepas PRU 14) tetapi beliau menghala menuju ke jalan buntu hanya untuk menegakkan keadilan. Atas nama keadilan beliau memulakan kareer politik, atas nama keadilan juga beliau melakukan satu demi satu kejutan, memilih jalan menentang arus.
Itu tandanya berani - berani menyoal sesiapa pun hanya kerana, untuk menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan.
Itu tandanya seorang ahli politik yang beretika, dan itu tandanya seorang masyarakat Malaysia yang berprinsip.
Saya dan masyarakat Malaysia yang mempunyai etika dan prinsip akan menyokong seni politik YB Nurul Izzah kerana bercakap benar tanpa lakonan, mengambil keputusan walaupun tidak disenangi oleh segelintir, berani untuk menegakkan keadilan walaupun dalam suasana yang getir.
Ahli politik wajar berani, berani kerana benar. Jangan duduk mengecut dalam bilik penghawa dingin dan mempersoal etika dan prinsip orang lain dalam politik. Kuasa dan tanggungjawab ini adalah sedekah TUHAN untuk berkhidmat kepada masyarakat yang memerlukan, wajar memikul tanggungjawab dan amanah ini dengan penuh iktibar, dengan menyokong yang benar, dan membangkang yang salah.
Kepada segelintir itu, pepatah Melayu ini adalah penyajian kepada anda semua, sekiranya telah lupa apa yang dibelajar di sekolah - berat mata memandang, berat lagi bahu memikul.
Syabas dan tahniah YB Nurul Izzah, Puteri Reformasi kerana keberanian dan pengorbanan anda, adalah sentiasa untuk menegakkan keadilan dan kebenaran. - Manivanan Gowin
"Negara ini memerlukan mereka yang mahu bekerja dan bersedia untuk menghadapi semuanya, bukan orang cengeng. Apa pun cabaran, kita perlu atasi. Jika tak mampu berdepan cabaran, keluar dari dapur," katanya.
Azmin dipercayai merujuk kenyataan Nurul Izzah dalam wawancara Straits Times yang antara lain menyebut bahawa Dr Mahathir sebagai "bekas diktator yang banyak membuat kerosakan".
Antara lain, bekas naib presiden PKR itu mengakui cabaran bekerjasama dengan Perdana Menteri Dr Mahathir Mohamad yang satu ketika dulu merupakan seteru ayahnya.
"Bekerja dengan bekas diktator yang menyebabkan banyak kerosakan, bukan saja pada kehidupan keluarga kami, tapi juga sistem (pentadbiran negara). Ia bukan sesuatu yang mudah," katanya.
Dalam wawancara itu, Nurul Izzah turut menyatakan kekecewaannya terhadap beberapa perkara termasuklah penyertaan bekas wakil rakyat Umno dalam parti komponen PH.
Dalam perkembangan terbaru, jika sebelumnya ini, Dr Mahathir Mohamad agak keras pendiriannya berhubung kedudukan jawatan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kira-Kira Wang Awam (PAC), kekerasan hatinya kini nampaknya sudah mulai mengendur.
Kini, beliau menyatakan kesediaannya untuk menimbang melantik pengerusi baru PAC daripada pembangkang bagi menggantikan Ronald Kiandee yang kini telah menyertai Bersatu.
“Ya, kita akan menimbangkannnya. Kita akan mencari calon yang bagus.
“Ia adalah janji yang dibuat PH. Kita boleh laksanakannya bila-bila masa, kita akan berpegang kepada janji,” ujar beliau.
Kejayaan mengubah pendirian Dr Mahathir dalam soal perlantikan pengerusi PAC harus dilihat sebagai langkah permulaan bahawa pemimpin-pemimpin mesti berani bertindak lebih tegas dalam mempertahankan PH.
Jangan takut atau gentar menyanggah pendirian Tun Mahathir yang bertentangan dengan PH kerana nilai perjuangan yang disokong rakyat adalah lebih penting untuk dipelihara berbanding nikmat jawatan dan kedudukan yang memberi keselesaan dalam kehidupan. - mk
"Sejak dah bersanding dengan UMNO ni,
di belakang saya pon turut ada kominis jugak" - Hadi
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