Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani says PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s big idea: hold your breath PAS is sinking NOT UMNO

In an unexpected move, the Pope has retired because of age. At 85, he believed he no longer had the mental and physical strength to carry on. This move was totally unexpected and almost unprecedented and caught the world by surprise. That this was so is interesting for in the ordinary course of events, the idea of a 85 year old man retiring from a taxing and significant job, should not come as a shock to anyone. Perhaps the idea of a religious leader sits well with that of age, but it does beg a question about the role played by age in discharging one’s duties in key jobs. In politics, for instance.

In PAS , an old politician never dies, he just, well, never dies. Much has been said and written about the need for youth in the gerontocracy that is PAS politics, something that bears no repeating . As a rule, the significant one needs to be under 50, but anyone under 60 can also carry off this is radiant at 57, for instance). Interestingly, barring odd exceptions which is in fact the average life expectancy in the country, we don’t hear of that many politicians dying early, at least not of natural causes. There are a large number of leaders that have died violent or unnatural deaths at an early age, but otherwise most politicians seem not only to live longer but stay active till very late in life (the average age s over 64).

Forget the whining about old age and ossified ideas for a moment and focus on the truly important question. How do they do it? When every profession mandates a retirement age that seldom crosses 60, what makes politicians feel young and dynamic at that age ( Narendra Modi is 62 and looks like an advertisement for an age-defying tonic)? Is it only the fact that they get to make the rules and decide never to retire unless forced to?

By any yardstick, politics is a stressful profession. For those not fortunate enough to inherit political legacies , politics involves a long, hard, highly unpredictable journey to a position of any significance. Unlike other jobs, where the path to career progression is clearly defined, and a transparent process is put in place, politics offers no clarity whatsoever. Even after becoming a leader of significance, promotion to party positions or ministerial berths follows no established patterns of logic. Choices are made on factors that are highly variable- identity, loyalty to individuals, the desire to balance the influence of rivals, among others. Even after coming to power, staying in power is a time-consuming enterprise. While getting elected might seem like the politicians’ biggest concern, in actual fact, it is in managing the internal dynamics of one’s own party by keeping a host of rivals at bay that keeps most politicians occupied.

Nor is everyday life easy for a politician. The job involves being available at all times, both to the unending stream of constituents and favour seekers, as well as to the party and ministry, if one is in power. Travel is frequent and at election times, arduous by any standards. Mentally too, the pressure is significant, for the job involves, almost by definition, dealing with crises of various kinds. Given the nature of the job, few people can be trusted and the burden of responsibility falls squarely on the individual. In addition, now most politicians run some sort of commercial enterprise, both legitimate and otherwise, as evident in the dramatic rise in personal wealth of our elected representatives, that undoubtedly calls for time and attention.

PRESIDENT ABDUL HADI AWANG ARROGANTLY YOURS Umno is sinking and we don’t want to sink with it 

   PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang ’s big battle seems to be with his party that he allegedly leads. PAS is interested in his name, his visage, the unquestioned nature of his authority but is deeply uncomfortable with his ideas which are indulged so that they don’t have to be implemented. His critique cuts too deep for it to be actionable, particularly in PAS.Fortunately for the party,Abdul Hadi Awang’s own suspicion about power has rendered him incapable of pushing through his ideas with any force. He keeps plugging away in his little laboratories, emerging occasionally to make some pronouncement before diving back away from the real world.  belief that power is contaminating that makes his endeavours and ideas a non-starter. Without exercising power, change is unlikely to come about on its own. By labelling all power regardless of the manner of use as corrupting, he has effectively neutered the power of his own prescriptions.

For the last few months one would be forgiven for believing that the lunatics have been running the asylum called the PAS, so inconsistent and muddled their actions have been. But after yesterday, it is worth asking if even the lunatics are in charge. Enough has been said about the incomprehensible strangeness of the government’s actions, and in any case this level of mismanagement is so self-evident that additional comment is unnecessary. What is interesting however is to ask what would make a group of reasonably savvy, seasoned politicians used to exercising and staying in power act in such a self-defeating manner.

Najib Abdul Razak has urged the people of Kedah to reject PAS in the 13th general election on Sunday as the party leader had deceived the people by making promises which were not fulfilled throughout its 5-year rule in the state.

He said the party’s leader only knew how to shout slogans but they had not done anything to bring development to the state as aspired by the rakyat.

WHAT REALLY IRKS ME THE MOST IS THAT SUCH PEOPLE, DESPITE YOUR PROMPTING THEM, REASONING WITH THEM OR EVEN PLEADING WITH THEM ARE PREDICTABLE TO A FAULT: THEY WILL HAVE TO SPEAK AS SURELY AS NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY EVERY TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN SUCH A SITUATION, AND WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK TILL EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM SHUTS UP OR TURNS AWAY IN SHEER FRUSTRATION. LITTLE DO THEY REALIZE (OR PERHAPS CARE ABOUT) THE IMPRESSION THEY CREATE THROUGH THEIR DETERMINED, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR VERBAL JOUSTING. THE NEXT TIME THE TWAIN MEET, THE AUDIENCE, IF INTELLIGENT, IS BETTER PREPARED FOR THE ENSUING VERBAL DUEL AND EITHER COMPLETELY IGNORES THE PERSON OR WALKS AWAY FROM THE DISCUSSION WITH ‘ITS  PERHAPS BETTER FOR ALL OF US TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY’ WRIT LARGE ON THEIR FACES.

DAP remain a key strategic pas partner. It had diplomatically supported PAS on various issues of concern None of us would doubt that in recent years, is the arm of our democracy working diligently?, it is the  voters Court. Time and again, the Highest…will decide who is the right candidate who serve them with dedication andNajib said Umno not racist party unlike enemies like PAS,Gerakan,MCA and MIC are real racialist to the core There is a sense of horror that pervades the news in recent months.  It seems as is a basic form of humanity has been lost as one horrific instance of…PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang    It is as … Read more