Language is very powerful. It does not just describe reality, it creates the reality it describes.
– Desmond Tutu, South African Bishop
When government cannot be cured but endured; tolerated instead of being outlawed; or redesigned as an unpopular formula, the inevitable political suicide is akin to rearranging the deck chairs of the Titanic. The culture of unstoppable government-tolerated cronyism, nepotism and corruption should not be allowed near the hallowed grounds of good governance.
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary,” observed US President James Madison subtly advancing the concept of anarchy first inspired in 1539 England. Is governance a rare form of penance?
The language of government becomes vile and vulgar when subjected to weak and idle explanations. We do penance when politicians labour to state the obvious with inadequate and unrefined grey matter.
James Humes, a presidential speechwriter and author suggested that the “art of communication is the language of leadership.” Do Malaysian leaders say it like it is? Or, are they spin-doctors? A leader says what he means, and means what he says, come hell or highwater. That is the ideal language of governance obviating elections.
The language of government, courtesy Adolf Hitler: “How fortunate it is for governments that the people they administer don’t think.” This is a frightening proposition that rings true. This is the bane of the governed. They do the unthinkable by not thinking.
The French statesman Talleyrand believed that “the art of putting the right men in the right places is first the science of government; but that of finding places for the discontented is the most difficult.” Both had their fingers on the pulse and temperature of politics.
Thomas Jefferson hypocritically observed that if government fears the people, there is liberty; but where the people fear government, there is tyranny. The American Constitution was written to placate the original 13 colonies, not for the future of decency and fairness. America today victimises its people with right and left-wing ideologies while condemning China, Iran, North Korea and Saudi Arabia for human rights’ violations. But on Sundays, the prosperity gospellers take over.
The Malaysian language of governance is riddled with uncertainties in translation, constantly being repaired like our legendary potholes gracing our uneven roads, streets and highways. Policy statements sound like half-baked promises that offer gossip fodder for the intrepid dissenter and dissident. Most of the political op-eds are structured to explain what is happening. Hardly anyone writes about how to solve these travails and tribulations.
Laws act like empty threats when its enforcement is like a throw of the dice. There is insufficient and inadequate basic education in civics encapsulating Political Knowledge, Normative Values, Individualistic Civic Behaviour and Communal Civic Behaviour. These could verily begin being taught in early secondary educational institutions ready to become compulsory subjects for tertiary institutions that will greatly prepare the market-ready professionals.
Neighbouring Singapore has plenty of lessons that we can emulate to define our language of governance. We are stuttering when it comes to pronouncing a plan or a policy with clarity and certainty. The slip of the tongue is inevitable when the language is neither here nor there. We lack the will to learn, to be motivated and to excel.
The stumbling blocks – the usual suspects – continue as impediments and obstacles as if condoning constitutional inaction and apathy. Nobody even tries a wee bit. Edmund Burke sensibly observed that “nobody makes a greater mistake that he who does nothing because he could only a little.”
John Locke astutely remarked that “the people cannot delegate to government the power to do anything which would be unlawful for them to do themselves.” From the frying pan into the fire seems to be the language of governance when the hoi polloi craves for anarchy.
The French anarchist, P J Proudhon nailed it: “To be governed is to be watched over, inspected, spied on, directed, legislated at, regulated, docketed, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, assessed, weighed, censored, ordered about, by men who have neither the right, nor the knowledge, nor the virtue.” Pause to ponder and wonder, but don’t let your mind wander, or pander to futile thoughts. Proudhon understood the DNA of governance.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be,” remarked the wise Lao Tzu. Malaysians must not be afraid to try new things. The results of letting go to seek newer and clearer national frontiers will, most assuredly, refine and define the language of Malaysian governance.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
