CHANGE the Game

Change means courage to challenge the norms, courage to challenge your shortcomings, courage to challenge your competitors, courage to challenge every single roadblock in whatever you strive to achieve.

In other words you become a non conformist

In this sense, Advertising and Politics have parallels. One of those parallels is CHANGE. Both must accept that change is constantly needed, or we become obsolete. When I mention change, I mean meaningful change. Real change. Indeed, change is actually the search for relevance.

“Advertising and Politics have parallels. Accept change or become obsolete.”

In politics, this means a need to stay relevant, to meet the rising expectations of the rakyat.

Obama demonstrates the power of change. Change that brought hope to Americans.

He knew people were tired of Bush, it became change vs status quo. At no time does he project himself as champion of the coloured people. It is the other way round. He rose above racial politics and championed the cause of all Americans, and that energised them. When he started 2 years ago, a lot of Americans, let alone the world then was asking Obama who? He changed all that by clever timing, spinning, packaging and advertising, creating a brand of his own until his brand became an accepted brand. Politicans and Advertisers have a lot to learn from Obama campaign of change and strategy.

If Obama’s platform had been challenging “whites” he would’ve lost. He went with national issues & interests. He wasn’t the hero of ‘colored’ people but for all.
Instead of “Black vs White”, it was “change vs status quo”.

Back home, the 308 election often regarded as the political tsunami, changed the political landscape of Malaysia. It marks the start of the two-party system, hence political parties have to change to be competitive.

“The start of the two-party system means parties have to change to be competitive.”

The rakyat voted for change. It is very obvious, that the BN leaders, my party included, were not prepared and were caught unaware of the voters’ sentiments.

Post 308, what sort of change would the rakyat expect from us?

BN needs to change. It is not an option, but necessary to face the new political reality, to remain relevant and competitive. It is not and cannot be business as usual after 308. Unfortunately, we still have not changed much since...although time is fast running out.

Like advertising, the actual product MUST ultimately match the appeal of the advertising. Or disappointment sets in. It’s like finding out the skin cream doesn’t really make you look younger. Or that the weight you lost has returned. Or Obama isn’t a great president. Keadilan isn’t actually interested in…keadilan.

I think the Opposition and even to some extent the BN is burning political goodwill that was previously built. Ask any citizen and very few will be able to tell you about any concrete improvements in Opposition-controlled states.
Similarly, even after the stinging rebuke of 308, I don’t think any member of the rakyat will say ‘Yes, the ruling government has heard us, they’re starting to improve things.’ Consumers punish disappointment by not buying products. And after 308, citizens have learnt that they can punish politicians by pulling their votes. We are wasting goodwill and we only have a small, limited window to meet expectations. And even when we meet it, we cannot stop.

Change is a process. It is not a singular moment. And if we want change, we must stop looking at it like something that has happened, but something that is still taking effect. It is STILL happening. Which brings me to another point: We have to stop living in the past.

“Change is a process. It is not a singular moment.”

Talking about the fundamental of politics in the country which is organised above racial political lines, WE NEED TO CHANGE so that while we look after our own ethnic group, we need to champion national issues that affects all Malaysians. Issue-centric rather ethno-centric. If Keadilan can project itself to be multiracial and be able to look after the interests of CHI or Indian community, it raises the possibility that MCA,MIC,GERAKAN may not be relevant anymore.

“Our politics is still organised along racial lines.We need to be issue-centric, not ethno-centric.”

I am not so naive as to suggest that race is not an issue. The system, the mentality, has been there for a long while and its improvement will not come overnight. I AM saying that we need to change to address issues beyond the confines of ethnicity. It is very limiting. It is also living in the past.

Learning from the advertising industry - you people are everywhere! One theme, one convention that you cannot seem to lari is ‘three races’ advertising. Every big company sure show some corporate ad which feature coincidentally one Malay, one Chinese, one Indian. What about the ‘Dan Lain-Lain?’

We continue to be defined by our racial lines. Just because we began that way, it does not mean we have to STAY that way. We should be a real melting pot, hence focused on issues – which are really just problems that need solving – instead of colour, which I’m sure Art Directors will agree – is largely a matter of taste.

Think about things like education. The economy. Infrastructure. Are roads more Indian? Is education more Malay? Is money more Chinese? Seems silly when you say it out loud. Because it is. These things are agnostic, neutral. They are problems that can and do happen to any country, any society. Our energy – political and otherwise – is best spent solving problems. Solving problems is better done by skillful people first. And skill is not based on race.

“Solving problems is better done by skillful people first.And skill is not based on race.”

We have to change our approach towards solving problems. For example, the fight for CHI schools shouldn’t be seen as a CHI struggle. If the CHI schools are part of the national education system, it is a national issue. The MCA needs to convey this to the BN leadership. It is a paradigm shift for of thinking for the leadership.

“Chinese schools shouldn’t be seen as a Chinese struggle. They’re part of the national education system. It’s a national issue.”

I hear Creative People always like to try something fresh. As long as it’s better. Can you imagine not being able to do that? Can you imagine always using the old template?

We have to stop using the old template. Our country needs to move on. Moving on is a futuristic thing. We are being defined by the past because we are still living in it. Of course, there are people who will surely say ‘If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!’ Eh friend, it’s broken la.

THAT IS WHY WE MUST CHANGE CONCEPT OF POWER SHARING within BN. The slogan/phrase of ‘Ketuanan Melayu’, of Master and Servant relationship becomes unacceptable…the younger generation of various races will not accept it. We accept Malay Leadership, but not Malay Supremacy.

“We must change the concept of power sharing. We accept Malay Leadership, but not Malay Supremacy.”

When we say we reject ‘Ketuanan Melayu’, we are not challenging the Malay special rights. It is enshrined in our constitution and nobody can take that away at the present moment. In the same way that Bahasa Melayu is the national language. Its status is protected in the constitution, and nobody can change that. That status is acknowledged and respected. So when we learn other languages or put up signs in other languages, it’s not challenging the status of our national language.

We need to change the Malaysian thinking, we cannot be ‘Mono lingual’ in a globalised IT world, we need to stay highly competitive. So learning and mastering more is about enriching our manpower, not anything else.

Malaysians must change to be less confrontational, controversial, emotional on issues that cross racial lines. Bahasa Melayu is a UNIFYING factor, not a DIVISIVE factor.

“Bahasa Melayu is a unifying factor, not a divisive factor.” When you go order food at a mamak you say ‘Boss, maggi goring satu.’ Even if you’re Chinese. And the Chinese guy is ordering food from an Indian man! You never see people going ‘Eh, why are you using Malay?’ We use what works.

If we become less emotional/confrontational and more objective, then the political temperature in Malaysia would be more ‘normal’. There should be more consensus, more accommodating, more equitable basis; not a Master and Servant relationship. The rights of all communities are enshrined in the constitution. Leaders do not necessarily know best. Maybe only what is best for themselves and not for the rakyat.

Hence, this brings us to another change. Malaysians should think more like Malaysians and less along ethnic lines. Practicing your own religion, culture and traditions does not make you less Malaysian. If we can change our thinking that anything affecting different communities affects us as a country, we become more Malaysian, less divided. We really need to change our thinking/mindset to be less ethnic skewed, so that we will not be trapped in this ‘Racial mental Block/Box.’

“Practicing your own religion, culture and traditions does not make you less Malaysian.”

When I decided to stand in the recent MCA party election this year, I actually embarked on a journey of change and hope. I was thinking ‘I must change the public’s perception.’ That a politician can actually be HONEST, when confronted with personal issues. They may be evasive or even outright denials in the case of “look like me, sound like me but it’s not me”.

In my case, I wanted to change by admitting, by resigning/relinquishing all my party and cabinet posts within 24 hours. And when I stood for the party elections, I wanted to change the perception that if you are a public figure you can’t make mistakes and take responsibility over it and move on. Even a convict is given a second chance. What would we tell our children who makes mistakes? That there’s no turning back, no way to rectify the wrong or to own up? So when I stood for the party election I was challenging the norm.

I was hopeful that my comrades, brothers and friends in the party will give me a 2nd chance. I believe that it is better to be defeated by your comrades in a transparent election than by a nameless, faceless videographer and tape that was set up to end my career.

Don’t get me wrong, my (election) as the deputy president of MCA is not an endorsement of the mistake I made, neither is it a reflection of a lack of sensitivity to family values of MCA members. It is just an endorsement from my comrades in MCA, in their belief that I can deliver and lead the party post the 308 political tsunami. The election is not just about me, it is about a change in mindset with regards to our political environment. Where responsibility, effectiveness, transparency, efficacy and leadership of politicians is of utmost importance to the party members (to the rakyat). That they demand more from their politicians and community leaders. That they demand ‘real change’.

Which brings me back to my initial theme – which is also actually my hope. I believe that change is possible, and that change is necessary. I believe that politicians are chosen by the people to be able to change the world into a better one. If we want change – positive change – to be something more commonly found in our society, then we must not fear CHANGE, and have the courage to change.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you.

Speech at 2008 Kancil Awards Festival Speaker Series: Change The Game, Thursdar, 27 Nov 2008