From what I’ve been reading in the papers, the way you, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, comment or respond to problems sounds very authoritative. In fact, almost arrogant and dictatorial. This kind of leadership is from the old books and used to be effective.

However, I hope you do realise that times have changed and if you don't change along with them, you will be extinct like the dinosaurs.

This kind of leadership leads to rebellion and we can clearly see what is happening right now in Kuala Lumpur and Penang and maybe in the other states too. The leaders of today have to care for the feelings of their members and subordinates and not brush them off lightly or accuse them of being this and that.

The leaders of today must really sit down, listen and discuss problems with an open mind. No problem should be seen as unimportant or a ‘small matter’ because it does matter to the one who is not happy.

In Malaysia, leaders also have to be extra-sensitive when they speak so as not to offend anyone or any of their members as Malaysians are pretty well-known to be pretty hypersensitive, especially when it comes to race and religion.

Everything is played up to the maximim by politicians to make us hate each another. This is not what the ordinary citizens like me want. We want peace but the politicians think otherwise, unfortunately.

The Pakatan Rakyat component parties are not doing very well with all the accusations being hurled at each another openly. This is a total disgrace.

It makes us, the ordinary citizens lose respect for the person throwing the accusations openly like that and it also make us lose respect for the leaders who, instead of meeting their accusers to try and solve the problem, instead show their arrogance and dictatorial attitude. No wonder there’s mutiny.

I suggest that Pakatan leaders, members of Parliament or representatives read this book ‘The New Leaders: Transforming the Art of Leadership’ by Daniel Coleman, the author of ‘Emotional Intelligence’.

Actually, all our leaders should read it and put it into practice. Then, maybe, we ordinary Malaysians may be able live in peace and harmony. The leaders of today need more than IQ to be effective.