GE15: It is not a popularity contest, public should choose leaders wisely - Expert

SHAH ALAM - Choosing the right candidates to represent the people in the 15th General Election (GE15) should consider certain criteria instead of solely based on popularity, says human resources expert.

Persatuan Usahasama Perkembangan Ukhuwah (Pupuk) Asohan Satkunasingham said this was crucial as the decision made by the people was sacred and directly impacted the progress of the country.

“Now it is more to do with popularity ranking rather than the leadership skills, where we can see the people treating the parliamentarians like celebrities.

“These people will decide on our future and the people are the government, so they should decide on the right people who will govern the country.

“That is why the decision by the people is supposed to be sacred and if they choose the wrong people, how can the country progress forward?” he told Sinar Daily.

When asked about the criteria a great leader should have, he said three are very important – competence, credibility and character.

He added that leaders should also have the community spirit to create a common unity among the people and understand how to serve the public and the community.

“They also need to be servant leaders who understand what serving the people and leadership is all about.

“We have many politicians now, but not all of them are leaders,” he said.

He added that Tunku Abdul Rahman was someone he considered a great leader because the founding father’s stand and contribution to the country’s diversity were what made the country special.

Asohan also advised party leaders and the people to change how they viewed elections.

He said there was a need for them to view the candidates just as the corporate sector did, where they do screenings, selection and interviews for candidates who applied for a job.

“When they enter the corporate sector, they will do screenings and selection before the interview.

“That means they need to have an internal view of that candidate, not just an overview of their manifestos and that’s it,” he added.

Founded in 2019, Pupuk is a non-government association that promotes national values as the national interest.

On Thursday, the Election Commission (EC) announced that polling for GE15 will be held on Nov 19.

A total of 21,173,638 individuals are eligible to vote in the election.