Don’t fritter away people’s trust

KUALA LUMPUR: Having waited anxiously for the outcome of the 14th General Election, now we all know who will steer the administration of this nation for the next five years.

Congratulations to all the newlyelected Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen, regardless of whether they belong to the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition or Barisan Nasional or PAS.

Those who lost the race should not feel too disappointed because in any contest, there are bound to be winners and losers. In fact, a competition cannot be deemed as one if nobody gets defeated.

Hence, instead of feeling despondent, those who lost in the election should accept their defeat full-heartedly.

Respect the outcome of the election because it was in concordance with what the people wanted. The rakyat’s voice was heard and this country’s next leadership was determined through the ballot box last Wednesday (May 9), in line with our nation’s democratic principles.

As for our new elected representatives, they can’t possibly take things easy as many of them had to endure stiff competition in an election that was dubbed “the father of all elections”.

It is now time for them to mobilise efforts to improve the welfare of the people and reduce the cost of living, as pledged by them during the election campaign.

Now that they have been elevated to the honorific status of “Yang Berhormat”, they have to fulfil the responsibilities vested in them with integrity because they are shouldering the trust and mandate placed on them by the people who elected them.

The role they play in voicing out the problems of the people is an important one and, as such, elected representatives should at all times be prepared to serve their constituents in an enthusiastic manner.

In this respect, I am sure many Malaysians out there would have already started scrutinising their MP or state assemblyman to see if they are carrying out their duties properly.

The people will dissect every bit of their performance, irrespective of whether they are handling a small, moderate or big issue. The people know fully well that their wellbeing is dependent on their elected representative’s leadership style.

This is why it is important for an MP or state assemblyman to accord equal importance to all the complaints and issues forwarded to him/her, even if the problem merely pertains to a clogged drain.

Next comes the meet-the-people sessions, something all our elected representatives must practice earnestly. Certainly, it is not something they should postpone doing until the next general election is due!

They should serve their constituents with the same level of fervour and energy that they displayed when they campaigned to win the trust of the people.

Remember, the people have high hopes for their elected representatives and they certainly want someone who is approachable and enjoys spending time with the people and hearing first-hand what their problems are, instead of leaving this task to his/her assistant.

After all, this was something they had promised to do when they were busy campaigning for votes. So, there is no point in them becoming arrogant after the “Yang Berhormat” title is bestowed on them. Perhaps, they have to keep reminding themselves that they are nothing without the people’s support.

And, now that the election is over, it is time for them to stop all that politicking and bickering as the people are fed up with such inane matters. They just want their elected representatives to strive for the betterment of the people, irrespective of their race and political idealogy.

As far as the rakyat is concerned, the leaders elected by them must fulfil all their pledges, as well as be able to implement plans and strategies to cut the cost of living and improve their monthly incomes.

When political issues fester and get out of proportion, conflicts are bound to erupt within society. Hence, our elected representatives should strive to promote unity, which is needed in order to implement and realise the nation’s administrative and development agenda.

It will be good for our MPs and state assemblymen to implement programmes to strengthen unity among the people. Unity is something that we need after all that bickering we witnessed during the run-up to the recent election.

Dear elected representatives, the people have chosen you to convey what they want to the government. Fulfil all your promises and responsibilities to the best of your ability and with full integrity – this is the best way to say “Thank you” to the people who elected you. — Bernama

(This commentary expresses the personal views of the writer and does not necessarily reflect Bernama’s or thesundaypost’s stand.)