An interesting conversation to read...

Hafiz: 'Well, Neil, what do you think?'

Neil: 'Think about what?'

Hafiz: '(eyes roll). About the situation we're in.'

Neil: 'The last man standing may yet turn out to be the imam of putrajaya.'

Hafiz: 'Horrors!'

Neil: 'When there's no direction, things will move by reverse force of sheer inertia.'

Hafiz: 'But the imam wears inelegantly the yoke of cronyism. Also he seems to have been bitten by a tsetse fly.'

Neil: 'If a country is sleepy, shouldn't its head?'

Hafiz: 'But the country is sleepy because its head is.'

Neil: 'Tun had greatness.'

Hafiz: '(eyebrows arch). He did?'

Neil: 'With him, at least things move. First up, then later down.'

Hafiz: 'Tun thought of ways around problems. Bad thing was all his solutions created bigger problems which cannot themselves be solved.'

Neil: 'Because there were no checks-and-balances on how state funds were used.'

Hafiz: 'Likewise, checks-and-balances on politicians' lifestyles.'

Neil: 'Why can't they all behave themselves, and do the right things?'

Hafiz: 'Because power corrupts to the core in this country and by the time you find out, someone is already blown to smithereens.'

Neil: 'Is there anyone else out there who can run this country properly and without fanfare or controversy?'

Hafiz: 'All have been tainted, perceived or otherwise, so who?'

Neil: 'which leads us to conclude?'

Hafiz: 'that instead of candidate-centric, the governance of Malaysia should be system-centric.'

Neil: 'only possible if there is transparency and accountability.'

Hafiz: 'which can't come about if to practise them one requires the ok from the people they are intended for.'

Neil: 'so what next?'

Hafiz: 'just change the govt and see what happens.'

Neil: 'won't that just replace x with y where y may be lesser than or equal to x?'

Hafiz: '(looks at fingernails); does it really matter in the end?'

Neil: 'we seem to be going nowhere.'

Hafiz: 'Yep. But let me give you a solution. However it's not easy to do.'

Neil:'eh?'

Hafiz: 'Governments should be outsourced. Politicians are the least qualified people to run governments, don't you agree? Most of them just talk and preen. All are concerned of their survival first. Which means how they perceive what their supporters want. But since not all their supporters can get their attention, their perception will be restricted to those nearest them, or fed to them, or loudest to them, et cetera. Follow me, so far?'

Neil: 'um..'

Hafiz: 'Between a half-baked politician who only talks and a professional manager who only does, who would you choose?'

Neil: 'the manager, provided he has a good PR team to communicate to all the rakyat.'

Hafiz: 'exactly; the professional manager will do what needs to be done to meet the targets set and his peers will make sure he does them in the most professional and efficient way; he doesn't have to get anyone to cover his tracks because he will stop himself in time not to do anything wrong. There is an internal coiled-spring mechanism inside him.'

Neil: 'and where do we find them?'

Hafiz: 'advertise everywhere, from Forbes to IHT to ChinaDaily to StraitsTimes'

Neil: 'oh, even foreigners?'

Hafiz: 'so what? so long there is internal checks-and-balances on funds and policies, give them the ropes to get things done, grow new ideas, move mountains. You see, Neil, the mindset has all along been that this country must be run by Malaysians. Says who, i ask? If we want to meet globalization heads-on, let the country be run by whoever is the best in the field. Better to have an expat be paid a hefty bonus for delivering first-class service to the rakyat than have a local engineer for himself a hefty undertable bonus for delivering third-class service to the rakyat. Betul tak?'

Neil: 'but, but...national identity, pride.?'

Hafiz: 'Neil, right now the national identity is that we are a nation of body snatchers, bombers and sodomizers. So what pride are you talking about?'

Neil: 'What about some of the politicians getting good media for handing over relief kits to poor people?'

Hafiz: 'That's just PR. They would do a better job if they can create work and income openings for the poor people. You give a bag of rice today, the guy finishes it tomorrow, then what? You give again, ah? The right person for the job will see this right away and put effort to create more legal income activities for everyone, not illegal income channels for a few. So far, we haven't see a single successful case from local politicians.'

Neil:'yeah, i read the SMEs have to pay undertable money to get permits for their factories.'

Hafiz: 'same factor with the Selayang referral hospital not being able to function because they don't have surgeons.
Neil, it's all about candid admission of what makes a country work. In your case, if an SME increases state income and creates jobs, WTF cause trouble to it? Why not do more to make sure it gets SME loans not because of the skin color of its owners? Why talk only? And if the hospital is undermanned, why not solve it the right way by making sure the right candidates get into the medical courses so that they won't be pinched by other countries which means they won't come back? And if the medical courses are not internationally recognized because of the language, admissions and teaching caliber problems, solve those F@g problems instead of talking shit in parliament.'

Neil: 'yeah, they should move to solve problems.'

Hafiz: 'Neil, i'm not saying one should overlook the present politicial impasse just because other things don't get done. That's dangerous. Why? because it gives the guilty parties the chance to excuse themselves and get away scot-free using the rakyats' collective frustration. Justice MUST be done.'

Neil: 'Agreed. Otherwise, we might as well close shop because it won't just be the integrity of a few scoundrels. It will be the collective guilt of everyone who turns his and her humanity away. The Unseen One gave us two eyes not to close one.'

Hafiz: 'That's right, Neil. We must calmly see things clearly and do the right thing. In the end, it's not about what's written in this book or that book that one should parrot mindlessly. It has to do with our upbringing, education and conscience. If you read something in a holy book and say it's good, how do you know it's good unless you already have a notion inside you of what is good? That notion is the essence.'

Neil: 'i'm going to rummage for some instant noodles again. You want one?'

Hafiz: 'that sounds good, Neil. I'm also hungry. What you put into it?'

Neil: 'some scrawny veges are all i have.'

Hafiz: 'not to worry, Neil. Pure hearts can live on even one sesame seed. His Powers are amazing.'

Neil: 'ditto'.