A grain of truth in Hasan Ali's invective?

In the present political climate, it is unpopular to speak on Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali's behalf.

But if we are to think about it, we must admit that he is at least partly right.

While Hasan (left) may have been technically wrong to call for independent members to be on the Selangor Legislature's Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat), he did present a valid argument.

Some issues should remain behind closed doors. Embarrassing admissions of less than proper conduct by district and senior state officers for one.

Transparency does not have to mean totally ‘naked', it may simply mean that the state does all it can to explain and to show accountability via responsible actions.

But some things, like in court proceedings, can be deemed not to be for public knowledge.

The same argument why some spouses keep secrets from each other, parents don't tell their children everything and managers having a bird's eye view that the ordinary worker on the ground do not have.

The Pakatan policy to keep ‘disagreements' between its members under wraps should also apply to embarrassing ‘disclosures' as well.

The presence of such motes of dust in the media carries the same hazy effect over Pakatan's image.

To Muslims, it is also a part of our religious teachings that we help safeguard the failings of our brethren.

Not to condone it, but to preserve their dignity by not publicly spreading information of such wrongdoings which may shame our brothers and sisters.

Granted, knowledge of such things are needed by concerned parties like the Selangor Legislature's Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat), but broadcasting it to the entire nation only exposes the already apparent weaknesses in the state administration.

'Blue flu'

On another point, it is important that some details be kept confidential. While we clamour for a tougher whistle blower's act to protect witnesses, the same standard should be applied to government officers acting under the duress of official orders.

It is not only about preserving the dignity of the state and the officers but also to ensure that future efforts by the state will receive a favourable response from civil servants.

Let's face it, civil servants are humans too. What if they were to stage their own acts of civil disobedience?

That's a lot of missing files and unanswered phone calls.

In the United States there is a syndrome called the ‘blue flu', when disgruntled cops would all fall ‘sick' with the flu all at once, crippling law enforcement until their demands were met.

We would not want ‘Selangor-cat flu' to hit would we?

Selcat must not be another MACC

The chief secretary to the government Sidek Hassan (right) did tell Malaysiakini in an earlier interview that the state has the power to fire and hire its civil servants. And it was better to work with what they have then to have to reconstruct the entire state government civil service infrastructure.

It is more important that Selcat distance itself from what many are accusing the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) of being-- the naked and blunt instrument by which ex-MB Khir Toyo and BN are using to harass, malign, turn or unseat PR's ADUNs and MPs.

Though in Selcat's case, it is the civil servants who appear to be the target of a vengeful state government for their role in rubber stamping the loss of it's ADUN's allocations.

Ill contrived? Maybe, but perhaps not that farfetched. If nothing else in the people's perception, tainted by the lenses of some media.

Vindictive behaviour

Something that deserves particular mention is the reactive outbursts which followed Hasan's chiding of Selcat.

While many may not agree with a lot of what he said on various issues, is Hasan Ali being hounded just because he was the one saying it?

Somehow commentaries that spring about the issue smacks of vengeful and vindictive behaviour.

While it may reflect on the political maturity of certain quarters, it does seem similar to the harassment that former federal minister Zaid Ibrahim received when he was complaining about shortcomings in the federal government's efforts to combat graft and improprieties in the justice system.

Though he was hounded out of federal government office, the maverick politician was welcomed into Pakatan's arms.

Whither now? Is Pakatan playing the BN's ‘hounding' game as well? Ostracising those who go against the grain?

Or is it, as it claims to be, the place where healthy constructive disagreements happen?

The pot calling the kettle black

But that being said, it is ironic that in wanting to preserve the dignity of the public servants and safeguarding the Selangor government's image, Hasan achieved just the opposite when he openly criticised Selcat---at the Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim's Hari Raya open house of all places!

He probably needs to learn some tact and a modicum of circumspection. Say no evil YB, say no evil.

As the Malay proverb goes, ‘Kata dulang paku serpih, kata orang dia yang lebih'.

The English equivalent of that particular Malay proverb which applies to Hasan's action, would be like ‘The pot calling the kettle black'.

If he is adamant about maintaining closed door interviews of state government officers, to preserve their dignity or avoid embarrassing the state, he should also give the same consideration to Selcat and the State Legislature which empowers it.

Shooting from the hip

Instead, his open statement to the media continues to fan the flames of divisiveness within the PR led Selangor government.

More seriously, his words are being quickly picked up by the media because it feeds the public's hunger for controversy and the media's appetite for high octane news.

One man's ego trip may serve as the fulcrum that BN and its attached organs (read BN-friendly media) can use to help unseat PR from the Selangor government.

Or at least undermine the people's trust in them.

While they may not be providing the rope, they are giving enough coverage for Hasan Ali to hang himself AND the Selangor government.

Perhaps Tony Pua's blog posting was also right.

Hasan should stop being such a ‘cowboy' and cease from shooting from the hip.

But the same must also apply to those who immediately called for him to leave and attacked him relentlessly.

In the end, it is important for elected representatives, government officials, the media and the public to cease shooting from the hip and give due judgement to issues based on merit and not the controversy or personalities behind it.