Is there any politician who does not desire success in an election? If there is, he/she must either be in the wrong field or weird or confused. Just ask any candidate in the upcoming 15th general election; they all want to win.
An election win automatically places the victor in a leadership position. So I say, when you achieve that kind of success, strive to be a leader, stay that way or leave. “Strive” is the key word here because not all people are natural leaders. Some of us have to learn the skills of leadership to be effective.
An important question to ask when aspiring to lead is do you want a big win for the greater good or yourself? Can you fulfil the role of leader as per the full definition of the term? Representing the people and their interests as a leader entails bearing heavy responsibilities and keeping their trust. You need to do more than just talk about doing something. After all, action is louder than words. Your activities need to be implemented in an organised and transparent manner.
The competition for seats is heating up pretty well now, and the competing parties are revealing their candidates, some of whom are surprise individuals while others are familiar faces.
We are confident that each party will make every effort to field candidates that meet several criteria. The primary pillar is leadership because the successful candidates will represent their districts and must carry out their duties with honesty, trustworthiness, and transparency. We don’t want leaders who put their interests ahead of the needs of the people.
Consistent and coordinated planning and implementation are essential for leaders to know about. This is because planning without implementation is useless and a waste of resources. These two elements go hand in hand and can show how an individual is as a leader.
We also do not want to hear complaints in the future over election outcomes. According to the results of a study, there are three primary factors of voter selection. The first is the competing candidates. Political parties must support candidates who are qualified with high intellect, energetic, and able to make reasonable decisions. Candidates must be highly favoured in their own right by the majority of voters in their respective constituencies and backed by the track records of their respective parties. Past accomplishments and contributions are crucial evidence that a party is strong and has few flaws that can damage its reputation.
We should beware of selecting unqualified individuals as they tend to fail when improperly elevated to positions that require leadership qualities that they lack.
Mistakes in selecting leaders should be avoided since they frustrate the nation’s hopes and future well-being. While people have the freedom to choose political parties and/or candidates that they think can represent them well the leaders are accountable to the people to whom they have made promises. It is general knowledge that mindful and willing leaders are serious about their tasks and responsibilities. They are not blind puppets.
We are aware that there are struggles for leadership positions in the country now. These individuals should exercise caution because only leaders who can serve well and make significant contributions are favoured. Transparency and full accountability underpin the mandated roles of leaders. Don’t just say, “I’m the boss” and leave it at that because the utterance is without substance.
** Dr Nur Aida Kipli (PhD) is a senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.
The views expressed here are those of the analyst and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
