Are you being served by your MP?

ASINGLE mother did not know where to leave her hyperactive autistic son and her toddler when she went for her vaccination appointment. Under the social distancing guidelines, no outsider was able to babysit.

Lucky for her, a volunteer managed to get her a premier Grab so that her children can go with her to a drive-in vaccination centre.

The whole process took about 90 minutes. She was in a dilemma for 30 days over this predicament.

This could have been resolved much earlier by the member of Parliament (MP) she voted for or other contactable representatives. MPs are not only legislators.

They are problem solvers serving the specific needs and addressing grievances of their people.

MPs will have to be contactable in their respective constituency as they are accountable to the voters, more so now during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Where is her MP now, or at least an available contact link to help this devastated mother, one among thousands who are totally lost and confused in this foggy environment.

Indeed, we did find six MPs posing with a package containing a loaf of bread, a bun and mineral water bottles. Pictures of their mugshots were plastered outside this pathetic excuse for a survival food package.

This picture story became viral amid the alarming rise in Covid numbers, starvation and White Flag pleas for food from the most vulnerable of society.

Unfortunately, in the last election many MPs were chosen based on the party they represented and not on their individual qualities.

Perhaps, they are the ones who cannot fathom the issue at hand, let alone to qualitatively address it.

Agreed, there are some heroic MPs in other constituencies with genuine efforts to help.

They may have an exemplary track record and profile performance. I believe they are commendably available at all times.

For the rest, as well as many other government servants, the present lockdown is a holiday.

Now is the time to work. In fact they must work overtime. Now is the time for MPs to act on the allegiance when they took the oath. It is now or never.

For the record, an MP’s monthly salary, including their usual allowances, is RM25,700.

Apart from this, there are other allowances, numerous allocations for services, development and grants including for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Incidentally, on that note, an MP lamented on his Twitter account that all MPs should be funded with a laptop, in case there is a special online Parliament sitting during the movement control order.

Right at the onset, the MPs should have integrated with other departments and agencies at all levels of government, to be prepared and serve their constituents.

They must have ensured that they are the main channel of distributors for the government’s economic stimulus and support packages, cash transfers and other needs.

It is not about a “one size that fits all” approaches. Each person has varying needs – the poor and marginalised, the aged, the disabled and single mothers.

Situations vary. Like right now, they could have helped with registering some of the vulnerables like the disabled and the aged to be vaccinated.

It is not necessary for them to go directly to the red zone areas, which have been cordoned off with barbed wires.

With our internet connectivity, literacy and capabilities in the public sector, there are so many home-based ways to administrate, manage and deliver services online.

These systems help one to have natural conversations with the voters, informing them without letting them feel what is going on behind the scenes.

It is sophisticated enough to meet complex needs and simple enough to let you to get started right away.

The silver lining here, is what civic society is doing. Many have come together and mobilised huge grocery bags to last a month at least for marginalised citizens by activating informal support networks, raising money and delivering them at a rapid rate.

At this point, people in need are not concerned about the political legitimacy of the present government.

They want access to resources and a legitimate and known face that will help them make that link. That face is that of an MP or a state assemblyman.

People are unaware of how important the role of their MP is and how much they can do for them.

There is a misconception that we vote for a party or coalition to win enough seats in the Parliament to form the federal government.

Under Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will appoint a prime minister who has the majority support of the MPs, regardless of which party they are from.

It is the majority number of MPs who will decide who should be the prime minister. Unfortunately, too many times it appears that MPs act as if they owe their allegiance to their respective political parties first instead of the people.

Parliament plays an important role in the country. As such, we Malaysians must understand what our MPs and assemblymen owe us – the people who put them in Parliament in the first place. The right thing will be for them to be there in the hour of need.

So, please choose your MP based on his qualities, on the greater good, his track record and his capacity to sincerely help the community. I believe it is an appropriate time for civil society to give an assessment or report card on their MPs. Forget about the party.

When you do that, each MP will perform better and symbolically represent a patchwork piece that is stitched with many others, which would become a huge tapestry or quilt that protects the community at large.

“At this point, people in need are not concerned about the political legitimacy of the present government, they want access to resources and a legitimate and known face that will help them make that link.