By Tk Chua
The Prime Minister is now reminding himself, Cabinet ministers and welcoming parties to reduce expenses on protocol during official visits in line with the government’s austerity drive.
I have heard of austerity drives many times in my lifetime but seriously, why would our PM say something so mundane as to reduce expenses on protocol in a bid to save money?
Frugality and austerity should be our way of life, not only when we are hard-pressed for money.
Instead of talking about reducing protocol expenses, he should have been talking about boosting national ethos. As a country, we should have inculcated a strong work culture and professionalism at the work place a long time ago. Why spend mindlessly earlier only to follow it with an austerity drive later?
When a society is “feudalistic” and when leaders indulge in self-importance and positions of power, yearning for pomp and protocol is a natural development. Rolling out red carpets and staging elaborate receptions become automatic. In fact, from my observations, the civil service spends the bulk of its time and resources indulging in pomp and grandeur. Real work is secondary.
If leaders really wish to know what is happening on the ground, there is no need to officially announce their visits. Just visit a place incognito and the true picture will present itself. Why the need for official briefings? Direct feedback from the rakyat is the best briefing anyone can ask for.
We attained independence more than half a century ago yet are unable to rid ourselves of our suits and ties despite the hot and humid tropical climate. Have we seen the dress code of Singapore MPs in Parliament? It is open-collared shirts for men.
To me, a reminder to reduce protocol expenses is way behind time. Those spending too much time and resources on protocol should have been kicked in their butts a long time ago. Similarly, why keep reminding ministers and government servants to be prudent? Just do the budgeting properly, and frugality will take care of itself.
As prime minister, Najib Razak shouldn’t be touching on obvious and mundane issues anymore. These are the jobs of his downlines. Prime ministers should provide renewed inspiration and open new frontiers for the country.
We have heard that former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad cost the Treasury dearly when trying to do great things for this country. To me it is not important to harp on it anymore. I would very much prefer to hear the earth-shattering ideas of our current Prime Minister going forward apart from reducing expenses on protocol during official visits.
TK Chua is an FMT reader.
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