What is “taking responsibility”?
The overall credit for success or the overall blame for failure goes to the one with the overall responsibility. In success, this is the person who receives the accolades. The rest of the organisation can only directly take credit for the specific individual, unit, or sub-unit responsibilities. Similarly, in the case of a reversal, the overall blame must remain with the overall leader and decision maker, the person who is overall in charge; the Supremo. The leader cannot bask in the glory of success and reap the accolades but decline the needed atonement in failure!
That is what “taking responsibility” involves – or at least a big underlying part of it.
Tan Sri Dr. Koh Soo Koon, who himself lost the elections, had offered to resign as Acting President of Gerakan, although the offer was subsequently rejected by the Party. Dato’ Sri Ong Kah Ting, who actually managed to win his seat although his party was thoroughly decimated, had declined to be appointed to the new Cabinet in order to focus on strengthening the MCA – and in atonement for the poor showing of the party he leads.
In both cases, the party presidents clearly demonstrated their readiness to “take responsibility” and to atone for the overall poor showing of their respective parties.
Dato’ Seri Samyvellu and Dato’ Keyveas seem unlikely to do anything of the sort. Keyveas, in fact, having lost Taiping and having caused much irritations and dissensions within not a few component parties on the road to securing the Taiping nomination, I understand, is even eyeing a cabinet post, the senator route. How totally different and wide-ranging the responses are between the four BN component party leaders in reaction to virtually the exact same reversal – from offering to resign the party leadership to eyeing a promotion!
And what about the response of the leader of the most senior BN component party, UMNO – the one who is overall in charge, the supremo of both UMNO and BN, the one person who is supposed to set the example for the rest of the component parties and indeed the whole nation itself, of what is correct and ethical conduct?
The overall credit for success or the overall blame for failure goes to the one with the overall responsibility. In success, this is the person who receives the accolades. The rest of the organisation can only directly take credit for the specific individual, unit, or sub-unit responsibilities. Similarly, in the case of a reversal, the overall blame must remain with the overall leader and decision maker, the person who is overall in charge; the Supremo. The leader cannot bask in the glory of success and reap the accolades but decline the needed atonement in failure!
That is what “taking responsibility” involves – or at least a big underlying part of it.
Tan Sri Dr. Koh Soo Koon, who himself lost the elections, had offered to resign as Acting President of Gerakan, although the offer was subsequently rejected by the Party. Dato’ Sri Ong Kah Ting, who actually managed to win his seat although his party was thoroughly decimated, had declined to be appointed to the new Cabinet in order to focus on strengthening the MCA – and in atonement for the poor showing of the party he leads.
In both cases, the party presidents clearly demonstrated their readiness to “take responsibility” and to atone for the overall poor showing of their respective parties.
Dato’ Seri Samyvellu and Dato’ Keyveas seem unlikely to do anything of the sort. Keyveas, in fact, having lost Taiping and having caused much irritations and dissensions within not a few component parties on the road to securing the Taiping nomination, I understand, is even eyeing a cabinet post, the senator route. How totally different and wide-ranging the responses are between the four BN component party leaders in reaction to virtually the exact same reversal – from offering to resign the party leadership to eyeing a promotion!
And what about the response of the leader of the most senior BN component party, UMNO – the one who is overall in charge, the supremo of both UMNO and BN, the one person who is supposed to set the example for the rest of the component parties and indeed the whole nation itself, of what is correct and ethical conduct?
Certainly he has repeatedly said he is "in charge"! So, what can I say? Perhaps the full drama is yet to unfold, but as of now it certainly does not look like Pak Lah is ready to, in any way, atone for the BN disaster which, by the way, he has not actually recognized as such, preferring to term the BN performance over the week-end as “still having secured a good majority”.
If I were to compare his response to those of the four BN component party leaders above, it would seem he has chosen to go the Samyvellu way. He has not offered to resign either his party or government post like Koh Soo Koon or Ong Kah Ting – and he cannot possibly go the Keyveas way since, unlike the Keyveas case, there is no higher position than the Prime Minister!
If I were to compare his response to those of the four BN component party leaders above, it would seem he has chosen to go the Samyvellu way. He has not offered to resign either his party or government post like Koh Soo Koon or Ong Kah Ting – and he cannot possibly go the Keyveas way since, unlike the Keyveas case, there is no higher position than the Prime Minister!
5 comments:
i think they are all the same. once they get into the job they cannot let go - they enjoy the power too much until they are voted out. they dont care about being ethicalor not.
Dato.. I interprete the results of the 2008 GE as one of the best "unity showcase" that Msians have demonstrate. Secondly, the results also clearly show that we are serious in demanding for a fair, non-corrupted govt. Sadly,instead of reinstate the confidence of rakyat, the leaders, including the supreme one, are striving even harder to reinstate their own power...
Once you taste power, one always find great difficulty to let go. There will always be apple polishers around to prop up.
Hi Dato.,
Ravi here, just to share some comment on another issue
Recently the leader of a neighboring state issued statement that major development will not be carried as they lost few seats this time. He condemned that people voted the opposition, and concluded that they are not interested for state development anymore. Seems something wrong here. Regardless who the “rakyat” choose, they still deserve to share the nation’s development, and the leader appointed to perform the task. But now it seems we are at the mercy of the leader, they choose to punish “rakyat” for exercising their right. Do we need to look into what democracy is all about??
The point here, if the ruling party keeps on finger pointing others, bet that next election they will face the worst. As you said Dato, so parties need refreshment, a complete reformation.
12th election a Tsunami??? ………………its just trailer……….!
I agree with all the comments.Clearly the people around the power source make sure the truth is seen through their coloured lenses to serve their own interests.
As for your comments Ravi, this is exactly the arrogance, subtle blackmail, and blinkered thinking that got them where they are in the first place - they just dont seem to learn.
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