News

  • Nation
  • World Updates
  • Courts
  • Parliament
  • Columnists
  • Opinion
  • Honours List

Friday January 11, 2008

The hustings a real circus

WHY NOT?
By RASLAN SHARIF


In not a few instances in the past, election campaigning in Malaysia all too easily descended into a circus of horrors.

I WAS driving around the Damansara area a few months ago when I passed by a fairground. It was one of those mobile, travelling operations that had set up on an empty plot of land.

It appeared quite pathetic, with dodgy-looking rides and worn-out stalls, but my children were awestruck nonetheless.

They got all worked up and were pointing to it excitedly, saying: “Look, a circus.”

I had to explain that it wasn’t a circus, and no, we can’t go check it out because it was lunch time and only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Naturally, they were disappointed.

Then I told them that when I was a kid, I used to go the circus quite regularly. There seemed to be more travelling circuses around back then.

This fact, of course, made my children envious and got them quite upset with daddy. Me and my big fat mouth.

Although I do have fond memories of the travelling circuses of my childhood, I don’t actually miss them. I think I’ve outgrown that sort of thing.

What’s more, there’s television; and this being election year, you don’t need to venture far to enjoy a travelling circus that’s putting on a great show.

I’m referring to the US presidential election, of course (I’ll get to our elections later).

The Democratic and Republican parties are holding primaries and caucuses in every state over the next few months to nominate their respective candidates for the presidential election, which is scheduled for Nov 4.

The road to the White House is long and winding. And, it's early days yet. Still, I’ve been glued to the telly most nights because the show thus far has been fascinating.

On both sides of the political divide, there are several candidates who have proven to be strong contenders for their respective parties’ nomination.

They’re done with three states – Iowa, Wyoming, and New Hampshire – but if any of the leading candidates going into these first few elections thought they had the nomination more or less in the bag, they were in for a big surprise.

On the Republican side, you have former Massachusetts governor and multi-millionaire Mitt Romney, the top Republican campaign fundraiser with about US$63mil (RM205.9mil), leading the early opinion polls, and what happened?

He scored a minor victory in Wyoming, but came in second in the more significant Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary.

Romney spent about US$7mil (RM22.9mil) in campaign advertising in each of the two states which many thought he would win but did not.

More proof that while it helps to have some, money can’t buy you everything.

The guy basking in glory after Iowa instead was former pastor and Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who was considered a minor candidate by the pundits before the circus got on the road.

He only raised a meagre US$2.3mil (RM7.5mil) in campaign funds.

But poor Huckabee’s joy was cut short a few days later after party heavyweight and Arizona senator John McCain clinched victory in New Hampshire, after coming in fourth in Iowa and Wyoming.

It’s wide open in the Republican race, and although it is less so for the Democrats, things nevertheless remain up in the air on that side of the fence, too.

Hillary Clinton was the early favourite, but fellow senator Barack Obama, who some have resorted to calling “the new John F. Kennedy”, caught up and won big in Iowa.

Hillary actually came in third, behind John Edwards, who was John Kerry’s running mate in the 2004 presidential election.

And just when it looked like Obama was going to steamroll over everyone in New Hampshire, voters gave Hillary the sort of comeback probably even she didn’t expect to pull off.

Yessiree, it has been one heck of a roller coaster ride so far for the candidates.

For the rest of us, “step right up” to watch these people on TV, especially when they go on the offensive against their challengers.

And here is where I get to the point.

Search for “campaign personal attacks” in Google News and you will find a long list of stories returned, which gives you an idea of what passes for “attacks” over there.

One report has Huckabee dished out this one on Romney for his big spending on advertisements: “I can’t write a personal check for tens of millions of dollars to impress you with what a great guy I am.”

Romney hit back as good: “You make up facts faster than you can talk sometimes.”

A bit mild, but things will undoubtedly get more brutal. Aspersions will be cast, smears flung, and dirt dug up and aired to all and sundry.

We’ve seen quite nasty things in the political scene in the United States, but having been to campaign ceramahs over the past several general elections here, I find the American version of getting “down and dirty” pretty clean.

Some of the things said and done during campaigning in past Malaysian elections would make you cringe.

Disparaging remarks are the least of it, for I’ve heard at ceramahs and seen on banners dubious claims, tall tales, and outright lies.

There was one ceramah I went to years ago where before they began, one of the speakers forewarned the audience to consider leaving if they have telinga nipis (are easily upset).

In not a few instances in the past, election campaigning in Malaysia all too easily descended into a circus of horrors.

But I would like to think we’ve all grown up and become better people over the years.

There is a Code of Ethics drawn up by the Election Commission, but even without these rules and guidelines, self-discipline and restraint should be the order of the day.

So come the next general election, which many say will be held pretty soon, instead of personal attacks, let’s have some personal standards.

People might laugh at the antics of the clowns in a circus, but it’s unlikely they look up to such from buffoons outside the fairground.

Star Online senior editor Raslan Sharif didn’t get to vote in the last general election due to work, but hopes he will be able to in the one coming.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story