“ I am a gentleman , whatever problem there is let us meet, sit down and discuss. We solve this using the right channel,” Najib Abdul Razak said in his speech at the Umno general assembly. This statement was made after the passing of the notorious National Security Council Bill which grants disproportionate amount of power to the executive.

This statement was made after dissenters within and outside the party have been punished for speaking up, some even with a law intended to be used against terrorists. This statement was made after our independent institutions like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers have been assaulted by intimidation tactics.

Maybe our beloved prime minister have a different cultural conception on what “gentleman” stands for. While Malaysians are technically invited to meet, sit down and discuss, we have a figurative gun pointed at our liberty and freedoms.

We ought to demand more of our leaders. The rakyat are and must behave as more than mindless sheep or enchanted rats following the piper beyond the edge.

“If we do not solidify the party, and only solidify the president, this government would not be ours,” Shafie Apdal told reporters. Umno Wanita, Puteri and Youth leaders have weighed in on the predicament.

In a poll conducted in the recent Umno general assembly; 13 Wanita, Puteri and Youth leaders said action should be taken against Muhyiddin Yassin, while 10 felt that he should not be punished and seven were not sure saying it was up to the supreme council. Of those who wanted action, six were from Puteri, five from Wanita and two from the Youth wing. While six of the 10 Youth members surveyed felt punishment was unnecessary.

The incidence speaks volumes of a democracy where loyalty is considered the primary qualification to serve the country. A country where people often choose not to look at how division is created because it’s easier to ignore the rakyat once it’s divided.

When such division become the norm, followers find it easier to ignore the leaders’ tactics. They justify the means as good since they ends are noble. They ignore corruption, stifling of political process, silencing of dissent. But people still remain the source of power and far greater than any individual or party. Within a party, the members still remain the identity of the party and far greater and more powerful than any individual.

The paradox is how it is easy to forget that and hard to voice out dissent. Disobedience is an ugly propaganda word leaders have too often used to drown out urgings for change.

In a democracy; every representative is elected to represent the people. And no party interest can exist beyond the interests of people. When cabinet members therefore choose to voice out opinions directly to public, the last thing they should be handed is punishment.

Blank cheque of power

Leaders would like people to believe that trust is all they need. Trust in their leaders. George W Bush did that when a baffled and terrified Congress was told that they were with him or against him when he appointed himself as the prophet of US aggression. With 98 senators voting for the Patriot Act, a blank cheque of power.

The prerogative of transparency lies on the leader. There is a reason why Umar (RA) was found mending roads in the middle of the night in Medina. He was scared he would be answerable for suffering of domestic animals. The leader cannot simply quote convenient interpretation that keeps the leader in power and not be answerable to the people, yet we still see some Umno members proudly using Islam as a political tool to deflect criticisms, to ferment blind loyalty.

According to Umno Youth delegate Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, the prime minister doesn’t have to resign as his mandate is from God. Last I checked, God had not selected him to be his prophet.

The pursuit of power and entitlement to power initiates an endless cycle. As leaders focus more on what they think is right and claim that everyone else is out to get them; they shut down other people’s perspectives. They claim to have alternate methods of constructive criticism, proper channel and so on.

However, any sign of public criticism brings them back to the place of entitlement which is why they refuse to listen. “Even though my heart has been hurt very deeply, but as president, I take lessons from our religion, I choose to be big hearted. No retreat no surrender!” said Najib to the applauding delegates.

Blind faith in Leaders has only created carnage in global politics. It was people who believed their leaders and followed orders that made possible the Nazi Holocaust, Khmer Rouge genocide and infinite number of time we have suffered grave and irreparable miscarriage of justice.

Humanity has far too many times plunged into an abyss of unfathomable horror only because people failed to question their leaders when leaders acted with impunity and demanded obedience.

Which is perhaps why it’s timely we recount the maxim set forth by John Adams in 1772, one of the founding fathers of the United States; “There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.”

Many great men have uttered the following words that are perhaps exceedingly pertinent to the blindness that plagues us: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

The question is, are there enough good men and women in Umno to do the right thing?

SYED SADDIQ SYED ABDUL RAHMAN is a part-time lecturer at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Malaysia and is Asia’s best debater, winning the United Asia Debate Championship in May 2015.