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1998 in Retrospect
The year 1998 has been a turbulent, calamitous and even grotesque year, with economies of Asian countries crumbling changing the so-called 'tigers' into mere 'kittens', with change of governments and downfall of one of the most authoritarian regime in the world through sheer guts and will of its younger generation, the call for reforms of governments, the natural disasters that struck China and Honduras, the cynical bullying tactics - complete with gunboats and missiles - to force compliance of the errant leader of a nation and the bizarre episode in the leadership of one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, man on earth. It is a year to remember, a year to reflect on and a year to retrospect. God willing, we will learn our lessons.
US
Oh…that Monica
This is the year Americans, Republicans and Democrats, will have to reflect on their perceptions of immoral behaviour, inappropriate behaviour and unacceptable behaviour.
Mr C is impeached by the House, by partisan votes, for 1) lying under oath to Kenneth Starr's grand jury about his affair with Miss L and, for 2) obstructing justice by coaching his secretary, to lie about his relationship with Miss L.
The Senate and the American public - if they have any say at all at this stage - will have to decide if this is merely about sexual relationship or is it about lying under oath and obstructing justice. The Republicans has been trying to be righteous by explaining that it is about telling lies under oath (as if lying not under oath is OK) and obstructing justice. I think the Republicans would not over emphasise the sex part because some of them could be Larry Flynted themselves. The impeachment is also about getting even this century. Well, you got our president to resign under the threat of impeachment (remember Nixon ? I know it was bipartisan then, but still…), we had to threaten you with impeachment. But since you refuse to resign, we had to impeach you. Now, Republicans and Democrats are even. Let's drink to that.
On the other hand, Democrats would like to emphasise that it is all about sex. They are quite sure the American public wouldn't mind. They'll forgive him. The polls show. After all, it is not rare that a boss has sex with his female staff in the privacy of his office. But then this privilege is not meant for the president. So, I suppose Mr C should have said sorry and that he shouldn't have done it in his office. It's inappropriate behaviour and in an inappropriate place. You should have done it some place else, Mr C. In fact, some American may think it is macho to behave the way Mr C did. Well..well..
Is Mr C's behaviour acceptable ? Well, I can't answer that. I'm not an American. It is a pity that having achieve so much (e.g. the first budget surplus in decades), Mr C will be remembered for the wrong reason. I hope history will be fair to him. Still, it has been 'messy' not only for Monica but the Iraqi people as well.
Middle East
To Each His Own Agenda
Israel and Palestine - I think it will be years before blood letting stops - if it ever will - in the Middle East. The mistrust and hatred between the Arabs and Israelis is just too deeply rooted to be resolved by handshakes and the Wye Agreement. Anyway, I do not see genuine consensus of opinions among the people of Palestine for or against the Wye Agreement and also consensus among Israelis.
We are merely let to believe that there is such a consensus by the main players. Each player, I believe, has his own agenda. Mr C would like to be remembered by the international community for his work in achieving some kind of peace in the Middle East, rather than his trysts with Miss L, before the end of his administration in a couple of years. Mr N has to prove to his people his worth as a leader of the country and a fragile coalition. With due respect to Mr A's decades of fighting for the rights of his people, he is not in the best of health and he has to achieve some peace for his people before he goes. The other peripheral players have their own agendas totally different from Mr C, Mr N and Mr A.
Iraq - Has any one really spare a thought for the fate of the Iraqi people ? To me they are mere pawns in the deadly game being played. Mr H has absolutely no hesitation in taking his people to the brink of total destruction and even extinction to realise his agenda, whatever that is. Mr C would like to deflect world attention from his domestic problem with his country's legislators to get his people's support - which presidents of his country traditionally got in times of war - and improve his rating in the opinion polls. So, wag the dog, Mr C.
Who suffer ? The ordinary Iraqis, of course.
South East Asia
Reform of Culture and Mindset Needed
The issues that countries in South East Asia face are fundamental. Corruption and nepotism are deeply rooted in the culture of societies. Despite the existence of the 'election process', power held by the elected is regarded by the latter to have been acquired as a birth-right. Patriarchal politics is the culture. Unquestioning obedience to the ruling elite is the order of the day. However, the most upsetting is when the people themselves regard this situation as a fait accompli with a resigned sigh: 'What can we do..'
All these countries profess to adhere to democratic system of government. Then where goes the maxim: Government from the people, by the people and for the people. In this information (or misinformation) age, access to information, views, opinions, slanders, propaganda etc. is only a mouse click away. So, in this day and age, is there such things as 'unquestioning obedience'. Those words sound archaic now.
All the more reasons that respect of the people, nowadays, has to be earned by the elected, and certainly not by dispensing favours to cronies and friends, and instilling fear on rivals and political enemies. The problem with favouring cronies and friends is that it corrupts power and, of course, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Falsehood could be manipulated and repackaged by the powerful with the help of his cronies and friends, and presented to the people as the truth. Convicting an opponent of serious crimes through relentless accusations - a trial by the controlled press, long before he is charged in court.
South East Asian countries need greater checks and balance in the political system to safeguard against abuse of power. Clear lines separating the three authorities - the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary - have to be clearly drawn. Separation of powers, like Justice, has to be done and seen to be done. Otherwise, people will lose faith in the entire system resulting eventually in social and political upheavals. And why should the people have faith in the system when, in reality, they observe that 'everything and anything can be arranged if…'
With the resulting huge social gap between cronies and non-cronies, the haves and the have-nots, the ordinary, deprived people would feel that they are the victims of the system. The social gap is a clear amber light warning governments that social catastrophe is imminent. One particular government did not take strong, concrete actions to bridge this gap and paid a heavy price for it. Ultimately, it is still the ordinary people that suffer the most from this catastrophe.
Having said all of the above, we have to acknowledge that to achieve changes or reforms, as some would like to call them, these countries will have to undergo a long painful process. Changes should not be mere cosmetics. People's mentality and mindset - that of the electors and the elected - has to be changed and this will take a long gradual process not without resistance. In the light of the of the current situation, if changes or reforms are to be realised, people should ask themselves these basic questions: Who are we ? Who do we think we are ? And answer those questions honestly.
I think it is time that people should cease having their intelligence insulted.
The author appreciates your constructive views and comments on the above article and/or related matters as well as matters pertaining to this web site. Please send e-mail to, the author, Yahya Hamid at: [email protected]
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