LETTER | Wake-up call for Parliament and MPs

LETTER | Parliament has sat, Covid-19 is under control and we are seeing new norms especially in the former. But the shouting matches of old is still prevalent. 

Compare that with the contrasting way they ask for our votes during elections – do they have split personalities? We put our trust in these lawmakers to promulgate laws of the land. Is it time for us to seriously think about how to elect our parliamentarians or "wakil rakyat"?

In the workplace, we need problem-solvers with an empathetic ear. The most effective executives make good use of both their intelligence quotient (IQ) and their emotional quotient (EQ). An analytical mind, eloquence and capacity for learning indicate high IQ and also EQ to read body language, as tuning into the emotional state of others can make a world of difference.

We need leaders who are at ease switching between emotionally driven decisions and intellectual ones to win over the rakyat. They must be able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of complex situations and make nuanced decisions.

The "performances" in Parliament on the first day of its sitting speak volumes.

The ousted Dewan Rakyat speaker managed to introduce a few parliamentary reforms. I do hope the new speaker can introduce better and more meaningful ones including the discipline and conduct of MPs in the august House. 

For example, a few of them have yet to declare their asset holdings. Parliament should play a role here since they are its members. In fact, such declarations should be done quarterly.

The previous government collaborated with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) to work out reforms.

The only body that can censure parliamentarians is the House Committee of Privileges which should be given more oversight functions. We need to have a Parliament that is relevant to the people it serves.

It’s high time we the electorate should be more concerned on the qualities of our representatives. There should be a new norm and the Election Commission (EC) could play a big part in this. 

The EC should be the human resource manager and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to monitor them apart from regulating elections. Remember, they receive pensions and that has to be discussed in a separate forum.

We need quality parliamentarians and the quality should be measured wherever possible, starting with the promises made during campaigning, Parliament and constituency attendance and up to the fulfilment of voter expectations. The evaluation could be based on the measurement of the scope one is capable of doing what one had declared to do.

Parliamentarians are as good as the leaders or the party, and party lines always dictate.

True, it is difficult to theoretically work out a list of defining characteristics of a good parliamentarian. One way is to look around through history and the present day for some good parliamentarian and use their successes, good qualities and balancing acts as a yardstick.

In short, we need one who is principled, works for the good of the people and country, not for self-interest and most importantly, God-fearing. At the end of the day, that person will be a statesperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.