The level of trust Malaysians have in their politicians is fast evaporating. This applies to politicians both in government and the opposition. The danger is that the dismal failure of politicians can undermine public confidence in democracy and the democratic process.

People can become so disillusioned with politics and governments in general that it can lead to open confrontation or withdrawal from participating in the political process. Both actions are detrimental to the development of a healthy democracy in the country.

How should politicians behave? What is expected of them?

1. It is people who have power, not politicians. People empower politicians to govern the country on their behalf. Consequently, power should be utilised for the benefit of the people, not abused to benefit politicians. If power is abused, people have the right to question the way it is used by politicians. It is people who decide what is good or bad for them, not politicians. Otherwise, it is not democracy but dictatorship.

2. Position is responsibility, not rank. Politicians misunderstand position. They think it is a privilege which is to be enjoyed and exploited for personal gains. Position is a heavy responsibility, temporarily occupied to bring benefits to people. It implies principled leadership, ethical action, and moral behaviour.

3. Politics is not business. Politics has become business, an investment with expected returns. People spend millions to go into politics because they believe it offers the best and quickest returns. The only way to get the required returns is through corruption and abuse of position and power.  

If you want clean politics, those who want to be rich should not go into politics. Politics is service. Politicians should be able to make a decent living, but not hope to lead an opulent life. Politics should be a calling, a mission to lead and do good for others. It should not be the last refuge of scoundrels.

4. Need for transparency. Politicians are human and therefore have weaknesses. To check human frailties, it is necessary to have transparency to keep politicians on the narrow path. They all must be made to declare their assets and wealth publically, and this must be done periodically.  

Politicians should not be afraid to do this, unless they have something to hide. The politician is a custodian of public assets.  He is open to temptations by virtue of his position.  It is good for him and the public that he does not become a victim of temptation.

5. Need for checks and balances. Power corrupts. Therefore, it is necessary to have institutions to provide checks and balances so that the politician does not abuse his position and power. This is why we need a strong ppposition, an independent judiciary and police, a free press, civil rights groups, and civil liberties to allow citizens to express their concerns when politicians go astray.  

Without these checks and balances, no democracy can function and the tendency for politics to degenerate into dictatorship is great.

6. A thinking people. For a clean and functional democracy, we also need a thinking population - citizens who will question politicians and demand answers and hold them accountable for actions and decisions. For this, we need an education system that can open the minds of people to think and question, not slavishly follow and believe.  

Unless the ordinary person realises that power resides in him and not with the politician and that he can use his power for a better future, politicians will continue to lord over people.

7. We don’t need clever politicians. Politicians must not be dummies, but we don’t need clever politicians. We need moral and ethical politicians. Clever politicians are likely to use their cleverness to remain in power and abuse their positions and roles for personal gains. We want principled politicians who genuinely want to do good for the people.

We want politicians who are moved not by position, power, or money, but by a mission to make a contribution to the country. But is this too idealistic? Maybe, but if we can get even a small number of politicians to behave differently with different ideals, the country will be a much better place.  Individuals can make a difference.

8. A professional civil service to assist the politician. Politicians come and go. Career civil servants are there to advise the politician on policy. If they do a good job, the politician need not be clever or technically savy to be effective. The politician is a generalist, not a specialist. For functional expertise, he can rely on the civil service, provided the civil service is professional and ethical.

It is a mistake for politicians to take on the role of the civil service, for then the separation between policy and administration becomes blurred and the way is cleared for corruption and nepotism. For policy-making, what the politician needs is honesty, integrity, a heavy dose of common sense and a commitment to do right for the country. He does not need an MBA from Harvard.

9. Politicians must rise above race and religion. In a plural society like Malaysia, race and religion must be placed in their proper place. The politician who plays the race and religious card is mortgaging the future of the country for his immediate political gains. The politician we need is one who has the conviction and courage to lead the country across race and religion, even if it means not being politically correct.

My dear politician, if you can only be guided by the above, you will leave behind a legacy that you can be proud of. Who knows, you may ever be remembered as a statesman.