COMMENT In the midst of the host of sensitive issues dominating the political discourse, at least our classic water spinach, or kangkung as we call it, is uniting most, if not all Malaysians, into a rhythmic parody.

Last week, our beloved prime minister (now I’m being somewhat tongue-in-cheek) asked Malaysians why they did not bother thanking the government when prices of vegetables go down, in the same vein that they point fingers at authorities for the rising cost of living.

Of course, we all know the price of kangkung going down does not, in any way, cushion the cost spikes that are being caused by the rise in prices of petrol, sugar, and electricity.

That’s why Malaysians are having a laugh while lampooning the PM’s statement- probably because they have given up on government leaders showing real understanding and relevancy to their unhappiness.

But also another fact worth noting is how he was asking the people to say thank you to the government for the good things that the latter does for us good folks.

This probably does not surprise many of us anymore because we have been hearing the same calls of “ungratefulness” and “thankfulness” since the 2008 elections, as the ruling coalition seems devoid of better arguments as to why we should vote for them.

But with this water spinach fiasco, my brain screamed that it has had enough conditioning. In which democracy does the the government “think” that the people owe thanks to authorities for merely doing their job?

Not just politeness, also humility

Prime Minister Najib Razak, like many of his colleagues, need to stop asking, or demanding, why we don’t thank them enough.

Yes, it is our culture to be polite, but I would like remind the premier that all the same, it is also our culture to be humble- something that his party clearly isn’t accustomed to.

We don’t need to say thank you for anything, even if you have kept the price of petrol and sugar down. It is not obligatory for us to do so.

It is the same like how my boss does not ask me to thank him  for taking care of my professional welfare. Or how I do not demand thanks for doing my job right.

It’s called responsibility.

If the rest of us do not receive any extra credits despite the long hours we put into our jobs, what makes the prime minister and his cabinet think that we should be extra grateful for the things they have done?

All we, the normal people, get as a reward for our work is a continuity in our jobs or better positions, and stronger leadership positions.

We don’t clap and shout for each other. We just do our jobs, and the reward of good jobs is placing confidence in the man that we believe in.

What exempts politicians from this basic practice?

If Najib is asking why we didn’t thank him, he probably would be hard pressed to be reminded that Malaysians actually did vote him and his party back into power on May 5.

If that’s not thanks for whatever you have done before, then what is? You have the power, the position, the outriders, the jets, the special privilege in wading through traffic, the high society connections, a salary that a layman would die for, and of course the various positions you and and your family get to fill in the boards of flourishing companies across the countries.

Not to mention you get to stay in an official residence which is about the size of an entire block of a shopping mall, while having the luxury of sitting in your limousine to travel from the entrance of the new Parliament lobby, to the entrance of the old Parliament lobby (both are in the same compound).

Now, Mr Najib, you should get to work and stop frowning about thanklessness. On the contrary, you need to show that you thank  us. We don’t need words any more.


RAM ANAND is a member of the Malaysiakini team.