MAKING OF A UNIVERSITY

MAS MOHD DARBY
What makes a good university? In the modern world today, a good university is a world-class university. Jamil Salmi, an Education Economist at the World Bank Washington DC, described world-class university is developing the capacity to compete in the global tertiary education marketplace through the acquisition, adaptation and creation of advanced knowledge (Salmi, 2009). Becoming a member of the elite group of world-class university is not something one achieve as self-declaration.  With their rich endowments and storied histories, a select group of Ivy League universities including Harvard, Stanford, MIT or Yale, along with Oxford and Cambridge in the U.K., as well as the University of Tokyo, are routinely place in the top 10 spots of prestigious lists of world-class universities. (Goodaal, 2006).

In reference to the definition above, University today is not just about quality of learning and research at tertiary education. A good university is founded on a good tradition where the establishment of the internal learning culture is being uphold throughout the years by the current students as well as former students. World-class universities must have internal culture. A university is not well known on how many first class graduates they produced each year, but on how strong their culture and tradition being nurtured each year; along with how many industry-driven research are being produced. For example university must be a place of intelligence and love towards education. The university must foster its academic responsibility by encouraging research and academic freedom in an environment  where there is full of ‘love’ that it attract talent and retain it. 

Salmi in his report emphasizes three most important factors that attribute to world-class universities as 1) a high concentration of talents (critical mass of outstanding faculty and top students) 2) Abundance resources to offer a rich learning environment and to conduct advanced research 3) favorable governance (management) that encourages strategic vision, innovation and flexibility, that enable colleges to make decisions and manage resources without being encumbered by bureaucracy (Salmi, 2009). In another study, Fujia listed four elements of world-class universities: 1) Tangible assets (good building and infrastructure), 2) human resource (first-class faculty, students and administrative staff) 3) university culture (the love for faculty and the love for students) 4) operational system where educationist, not administrators run the university, educationist must enjoy autonomy, rights of independent thinking and free expression. It should operate independently and exercise democratic management in accordance with the law (Fujia, 2003).

There must be a good correlation between university policy, academic freedom and academic responsibility. There must be freedom for both faculty and students to discuss issues and questions without fear of being terminated or deprived.  Freedom must be given to faculty to continuously conduct research and improve academic capabilities, not bugged with administrative paper works, taking attendance, registration and non-value added task or routines. This kills academic tradition and deprived faculty and professors from knowledge creation and education development. The university must dedicate to encouraging and nurturing a community of academics in which the learning and perpetuation of knowledge acquisition of every member may flourish, if not forever but for a long period of time of their lives. An institution of higher learning must not be managed like a regime military institution and a continuity of a school administrative operation. An institution of higher learning will fail to attract the best brain if it treats its faculty and professors as school teachers or military cadre. 

If an institution of higher learning emphasis simply on paper qualification, this will develop students who will go against ethical behavior to get A's and to the extend of stealing exam papers and answer sheets to obtain good results on paper. In other words, learning in university is not about achieving a piece of paper, but students must go through the ‘campus climate’ experience in order to prepare them in the next journey of the outside world, thus helping the university to develop world-class talents.

It must be reminded that the mission of university education is to bring out the best of every students. Thus, to become a competitive and good university, it must offer outstanding undergraduate experiences to the students. A ‘campus climate’ provide a good platform for student to ‘think out of the box’ and prepare them for academic adventure and challenging learning experiences that enable students to achieve a shared learning outcomes, in addition to superior achievements to develop skills and knowledge in their areas of studies. Students will fail to be groomed as graduates if they are continuously ‘spoon fed’ with rigid classroom syllabus and templates. They must go through intellectually challenging experiences, be independent in learning, referring to faculty for advise, conducting library research and not provided with revision sheets or notes to memorise. The campus climate experience is the most valuable experience for a graduate as compared to lectures and memorizing of notes for examination. 

Mark Yudof, President of University California listed few points of what makes a university great: quality teaching, accessible opportunity, creative discovery, committed public service and enlightenment on every humanistic and intellectual level (Yudof, 2010). A good university not only teach their students on syllabus and courses, but teach students how to practice and create new knowledge; as well as encourage innovativeness by developing and nurturing students to become leaders, researchers, pioneers and thinkers.

Learning from these success stories, I can summarized that campus learning in the university must be engaging, stimulating and challenging to the students, which will ultimately offer students an intellectually and holistic rewarding experiences of the university life, exceeding examinations expectations, beyond classroom lectures and more than just memorizing of facts or figure; but understanding of knowledge, application of  theories and practice, as well as critically analyzing new knowledge and information.

In last year’s Transforming Education Summit organized by ADEC that I have attended, it is worth to note that, UAE is giving more attention to emerging knowledge economies such as Finland, Ireland, Canada  and Korea to benchmark their education system. These countries do not have top 50 world-class research university, but they  have excellent technology-focus institutions. (ADEC, 2012). Notwithstanding, a university  should consider the desirability of creating excellent alternative institutions, besides a research university; to meet the wide range of education and training needs that the tertiary education system is expected to satisfy. A university may not need to be good in academic research but they can be a good university that focused on their internal strength, where they have reputation with. For example they must achieve to be top-ranked or best university in Islamic Banking or Entrepreneurship and build their reputation specifically in this area, internationally. MIT for example, is a world-class technology university that integrates theory and practice which are reflected in their internal motto - “’mind and hand”. Harvard the top world-class university in the world did not excel in all disciplines.  

It is worth observing that while world-class institutions are often equated with top research universities, there are also world-class tertiary institutions that are neither research-focus nor operate as universities. The UK Open University for example, is widely recognized as a leading distant learning institution in the world. Conestoga College in Ontario is ranked as the best Community College in Canada. (Salmi, 2009).

As a conclusion, university is not made in a short time. Creating a culture of excellence and high quality output take years to achieve. Freedom of academic expression and strong leadership with clear vision are fundamental to create academic excellence that helps to stimulates internal learning culture and tradition, thus contribute to capacity building in the country.

REFERENCES

ADEC. (2012). Transforming Education Summit. Why Transforming Education . Abu Dhabi: http://www.tes-abudhabi.org.

Fujia, Y. (2003). What Makes a Good University? Fudan University, Ningbao Nottingham University.

Goodaal, A. (2006). The Leader's of the World Top 100 Universities. International Higher Education The Boston Centre for International Higher Education , 3-4.

Salmi, J. (2009). The Challenge of Establishing World-Class Universities. Washington DC: World Bank.

Yudof, M. (2010, September). University of California. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from Your University of California: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/youruniversity/archive/2010/september/what-makes-a-university-great.html

LEADERSHIP FOR GLOBAL MANAGERS

AL KHAWARIZMI UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, ABU DHABI, UAE

ABU DHABI UNIVERSITY, UAE

A DYSFUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION

What is a dysfunctional organization? There are many definitions and symptoms highlighted by executives and management guru today to recognize signs of dysfunctional company with polarizing leadership. I summarize some below with examples of a local college as a dysfunctional organization:-

Ivory tower effect. Self-important director/manager who is isolated from the core business making their own decision and instruct that his decisions to be implemented by the cadre.  The cadre are the lecturers who are subject matter experts but treated like labour and  that creates a nasty cultural divide between management and lecturers.

Fire fighting. The organization is into a permanent crisis mode. Management is continually unhappy with Performance of lecturers? Students? No! Management is unhappy of lecturers not updating report, files and paperwork – mundane administrative office work. Finding ways to cut lecturers salary!  Do they think about the quality and outcome? No! People’s jobs are constantly in jeopardy. Students cheat? Why bother, they are robots and their jobs are to memorize the slides – cut and paste into the answer booklet. Since no human can memorize all chapters of 5-6 courses, do you blame them to cheat? The self-important director/manager, if you are one of the students, would you be able to memorize all?

Prolonged stress. Do you blame lecturers when everybody is always in high UNNECESSARY stress level? The predicable consequences of unremitting stress are people burn out or break down and people ultimately give up. A fear-driven, unhappy, pressured, can’t-win environment generates employees and lecturers who check their brains at the door. Oh! Management is happy so that they can get cheaper and inferior lecturers to replace. Dysfunction!

Strategy du jour. When dysfunctional executives consistently overreact to a single data point and take the entire organization in a new direction. Often the result of hallway or ad-hoc meetings in obscure places and making decisions in the absence of those who are actually responsible for that sort of thing. And firing the wrong people and not the root cause. In TQM, finding the “root cause” is a critical step in understanding defects and in improving processes.  And that happen every semester. External examiner talked and discussed, but the same thing happen again. Whats the point? Insanity rules?.

Organizational Insanity. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again ...
and expecting a different result.” Do we need to explain more?

Pluralistic Ignorance. It’s amazing in dysfunctional organizations how many people just “don’t get it.”  In other words ‘clueless.” In the college, nearly everyone is clueless, i.e., pluralistic ignorance. Is managing an institutional of higher learning is like managing a small family business? Why do we have doctors with very high level qualification and experience, but junior masters to make decisions, changing all questions developed by subject matter experts, without any clue on how to implement adult learning and what are the processes of intellectual capital development.

Analysis paralysis. When Management  especially from military factions, constantly take actions of issues to death, going down one rat hole or knock-down, drag-out fight after another without actually making the right decisions because there's no clear leadership to drive direction. Too bad my friend, you are the scape goat victimized by the military maréchal de camp!. I heard many more playing backgammon and doing business with students and escaped the 'death sentence'. Insanity~!

No class.  Dysfunctional organizations have a high tolerance for failure, as long as the attitude is right and “lessons have been learned.” Successful organizations realize that the higher you get in an organization, the fewer lessons should be learned. Executives are expected to bring with them certain experiences and skills to perform at a high level. Individuals who don’t possess these capabilities are probably not in the right position. However, the opposite is the culture of dysfunctional organizations. Because you are incompetent, you work hard with no brain (not smart) to prove your loyalty by victimizing the doers and the experts. No class of exemplary is brought into the system.

Segmented morals.  Dysfunctional organizations are infected with a morality of selective absolutes. The stated values and actual behaviors, usually self-serving, are often in direct conflict with each other. This situational ethics approach to organizational values generates a conflicting set of behavioral guidelines that destroy management’s credibility.  You talked, instructed, took actions in segmented issues  and closed eyes in other non-ethical behaviors. Cakap tak serupa bikin!

If these are the symptoms of dysfunctional organizations, then there is one symptom of a functional organization. The latter never tolerates dysfunction. The alternative is “organizational insanity.”

You will go insane if you stay longer!

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

CITIZENS DECLARATION AND THE STATESMAN

Are we becoming a totalitarian state and creating a dictator when the country is competing furiously to be one of a modern and developed nation in next 4 years? 

A totalitarian state that we are becoming is when the authority controls and prohibits any means of individual expression. Do any Malaysians dare to express their unhappiness openly, other than becoming keyboard warriors in the social media? 

The excessive control in the country does not augur well to society development. Instead, it breeds fanatics and extremists, full of 'holier-than-thou' and devoid of spirituality, humanity and humility. Thus, the public will be shattered, life increasingly affected. We have enjoyed decades of freedom living together in comfortable life, across religions and ethnics. Instead, are most of us living comfortably today and our standard of living has improved over the last 5 years? 

When Tun Dr Mahathir, former Prime Minister, great Statesman, a National Icon and Hero of the People travel round the country, doing a public service to speak out on behalf of the people to ask Najib to step down; thousands of Malaysians support him. He criticized Najib, not the Government. There’s no doubt that he is doing this for the people and the country at an age when he should be resting. Withdrawing the police escort for former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is injustice and cruel to an old Statesman who has served the country for 22 years.

Don’t forget, the Statesman still receives great respect and support from the people of Malaysia. Thousands of MALAYSIANS will defend him, become his police escort and stand up behind him to show loyalty and love. The support towards Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is phenomenal; it is growing even bigger by the day!

Social and political ‘trust deficit' is the real cause of emergency in our country, not Tun Dr Mahathir. It is when DS Najib administration created chaos in all sectors of economic development, social integration, sovereignty, fundamental rights of Federal Constitution as well as institutional integrity of government. Can we stand to see all the greatness of Mahathir’s era being destroyed by DS Najib because of his mega scandals? Is corruption the name of the game today or DS Najib is taking corruption to a new era and a new level, that will affect Malaysia’s economic fundamental in long term?

We need to change. We need a real leader as the Prime Minister, and leaders in the government cabinet. 

You be the judge Malaysians, will we achieve Vision 2020 in the current state of administration led by DS Najib with all illusions, scandals, fiasco and controls created by him and the gang? 

Give us one good thing delivered by DS Najib in this country, just ONE!

Otherwise, sign the Citizens Declaration today! @ bit.ly/deklarasirakyat

 

DEKLARASI RAKYAT DAN NEGARAWAN

Adakah kita bakal menjadi sebuah negara totalitarian dan melahirkan seorang diktator ketika negara sedang bersaing hebat menjadi sebuah negara moden dan maju dalam 4 tahun akan datang?
Sebuah negara totalitarian adalah apabila kawalan kuasa berleluasa dan melarang individu untuk bersuara. Adakah kini mana-mana rakyat Malaysia berani untuk meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati mereka di medan terbuka, selain daripada menjadi pahlawan papan kekunci dalam media sosial?

Kawalan keterlaluan di negara ini tidak memberi prospek yang baik untuk pembangunan masyarakat. Sebaliknya, ia melahirkan fanatik dan pelampau, penuh dengan 'holier-than-thou' – aku lebih kudus dan alim dari engkau' dan tidak mempunyai kerohanian, kemanusiaan dan rasa rendah diri sesama masyarakat. Justeru, masyarakat akan porak poranda, kehidupan semakin tidak selesa.

Kita telah menikmati berdekad lamanya kebebasan dan  kehidupan yang selesa, melangkaui batas agama dan etnik. Sebaliknya, adakah kita hidup selesa hari ini dan taraf hidup kita meningkat sejak 5 tahun yang lalu?

Apabila Tun Dr Mahathir, bekas Perdana Menteri, Negarawan Ulung, Ikon Negara dan Hero Rakyat menjelajah ke seluruh negara, melakukan perkhidmatan awam untuk bersuara bagi pihak rakyat untuk menuntut Najib meletak jawatan; ribuan rakyat Malaysia menyokong beliau. Beliau mengkritik Najib, bukan mengkritik Kerajaan. Tidak ada keraguan lagi bahawa dia melakukan ini untuk rakyat dan negara pada usia dia perlu berehat. Tindakan menghentikan pengiring bermotosikal polis untuk bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad adalah satu ketidakadilan dan kejam kepada  seorang Negarawan tua yang telah berkhidmat untuk negara selama 22 tahun.

Jangan lupa, negarawan ini masih menerima penghormatan dan sokongan daripada rakyat Malaysia. Beribu-ribu rakyat Malaysia akan membelanya, menjadi polis pengiring beliau dan berdiri di belakangnya untuk menunjukkan kesetiaan dan kasih sayang. Sokongan terhadap Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad adalah luar biasa; ia berkembang lebih besar dari hari ke hari!

‘Defisit kepercayaan' sosial dan politik dalam negara kita adalah isu kecemasan yang sebenar. Bukan Tun Dr Mahathir.  Kecemasan hari ini ialah apabila pentadbiran DS Najib mencipta huru-hara dalam semua sektor pembangunan ekonomi, integrasi sosial, kedaulatan, hak-hak asasi Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan integriti institusi kerajaan. Bolehkah kita berdiri untuk melihat semua kehebatan era Mahathir dimusnahkan oleh DS Najib kerana skandal mega beliau? 

Rasuah seolah-olah telah menjadi satu budaya hidup atau adakah DS Najib telah meletakkan rasuah kepada satu era baru dan tahap yang baru, yang akan memberi kesan kepada asas ekonomi Malaysia dalam jangka masa panjang? 

Kita perlu berubah. Kita memerlukan pemimpin sebenar sebagai Perdana Menteri dan pemimpin dalam kabinet kerajaan. 

Anda sebagai rakyat Malaysia menjadi hakim. Adakah kita akan mencapai Wawasan 2020 dalam keadaan pentadbiran sekarang dengan ilusi, skandal, fiasko dan kawalan dicipta oleh DS Najib dan rakan-rakan seperdosaannya?  

Beri kami satu tindakan yang baik yang dilakukan oleh DS Najib di negara ini, hanya SATU!
Jika tidak, tandatangan Deklarasi Rakyat hari ini! @ bit.ly/deklarasirakyat

ADAB DAN NILAI KEPIMPINAN DALAM MEMILIH PEMIMPIN AKAR UMBI PPBM

Dalam keghairahan ramai ahli-ahli yang menawarkan diri menjadi ketua-ketua di peringkat negeri, bahagian dan akar umbi di cawangan amatlah penting NILAI-NILAI KEPIMPINAN individu yang dipilih sebagai ketua itu diambil kira dan diketengahkan.

Sebagai sebuah parti baru, konsep institutional reform tidak timbul langsung dalam PARTI PRIBUMI BERSATU MALAYSIA (PPBM) sebaliknya building foundational capabilities atau membina kekuatan asas amatlah penting kerana asas dan tunjang yang kukuh akan menentukan kekuatan PPBM untuk tegak berdiri di persada negara walau dibadai gelombang sekali pun.

 “A leader leads, inspire his people, set directions and achieve goals. Leader don't outsource their responsibilities to other people.”

Berdasarkan konsep di atas, saya bahagikan 3 kategori utama nilai KEPIMPINAN yang perlu dijadikan panduan oleh pucuk pimpinan PPBM apabila memilih ketua dan pemimpin akar umbi; dan saya gariskan prinsip-prinsip kepimpinan yang perlu dikenalpasti dan diketengahkan sebagai indikator memilih PEMIMPIN. PPBM perlu memilih pemimpin yang sebenar untuk menjadi sebuah parti politik yang cemerlang.

A] KEPERIBADIAN DAN JATI DIRI PEMIMPIN

Kita tidak perlu melihat jauh untuk meneliti keperibadian dan jati diri Pemimpin PPBM. Tun Dr Mahathir, mempunyai keperibadian yang amat menyerlah. Jati diri dan prinsip beliau tetap teguh walau di parti mana beliau berada. Pemimpin baru yang sering bersama Tun, jangan hanya bergambar dan mengelilingi beliau, tetapi belajarlah dari nilai kepimpinan beliau yang amat tinggi  dan berkualiti. 

1.      OTOKRATIK DAN TEGAS: Saya pernah membaca satu kajian yang dibuat oleh Harvard University pada awal tahun 1990an tentang ciri-ciri dan nilai kepimpinan yang diperlukan di negara-negara di Asia. Menarik perhatian adalah Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang berbilang kaum dan agama memerlukan stail kepimpinan otokratik bagi memastikan kejayaan kepimpinan dan pembangunan negara. Ini dibuktikan oleh kejayaan Tun Dr Mahathir yang mempunyai stail kepimpinan otokratik dalam mengawal dan menyelia pemimpin-pemimpin lain dalam kabinet beliau. Dia terbukti berjaya dalam menyatu-padukan rakyat berbilang kaum dan agama dalam negara dan seiring bersama beliau dalam memajukan negara. Pemimpin negara kita masih memerlukan disiplin dan kawalan yang tinggi dan rakyat kita memerlukan kepimpinan yang terpimpin. 

Malangnya kepimpinan sekarang juga sedar tentang kuasa kepimpinan otokratik ini dan telah menyalahgunakannya, dengan memperkenalkan akta dan undang-undang baru, ditambah dengan pemberian wang dan kebendaan untuk membeli kuasa.  Ini merosakkan negara.

Dalam era digital, stail kepimpinan otokratik diperlukan di Malaysia dalam beberapa keadaan terutama yang berkaitan keselamatan, kedaulatan dan ketenteraman negara.

2.      PARTICIPATIVE LEADERS: PPBM memerlukan pemimpin yang turut serta dalam setiap aktiviti dan program rakyat untuk memahami denyut nadi rakyat. Dato’ Seri Mukhriz Mahathir adalah contok pemimpin rakyat. Beliau turun ke bawah untuk mendengar keluhan dan cuba menyelami kehendak rakyat, serta cuba menjadi 'sebahagian dari kehidupan rakyat'. Pemimpin akar umbi PPBM yang dipilih perlu memiliki ilmu ini dan sanggup turun ke ceruk kampung untuk mendengar keluhan rakyat dengan mendekati hati, minda dan jiwa mereka.

Stail kepimpinan ini sesuai di zaman moden di mana pemimpin tidak lagi mementingkan protokol, bersikap supportive dan menggalakkan 'empowerment' kepada orang-orang bawahan dalam mengambil keputusan secara kolektif. Ini berbeza dengan sikap pembesar-pembesar UMNO, sebuah parti yang tidak lagi relevan di zaman ini.

3.     AMANAH DAN BERTANGGUNGJAWAB: Bersikap amanah bukan terletak pada sumpah baiah atau ikrar yang dibuat sebaliknya perlu ada dalam diri seseorang yang dipilih sebagai pemimpin. Pemimpin beramanah menyampaikan kebenaran dan menjatuhkan kebatilan, dan kemudian setelah dipilih beramanah melaksanakan sistem tadbir urus dengan baik berlandaskan perinsip Al Quran.

“Sesungguhnya Kami telah mengemukakan amanah kepada langit, bumi dan gunung-gunung, maka semuanya enggan untuk memikul amanah itu dan mereka khawatir akan mengkhianatinya, dan dipikullah amanah itu oleh manusia. Sesungguhnya manusia itu amat zalim dan amat bodoh, sehingga Allah mengazab orang-orang munafik laki-laki dan perempuan dan orang-orang musyrikin laki-laki dan perempuan; dan sehingga Allah menerima tobat orang-orang mukmin laki-laki dan perempuan. Dan adalah Allah Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang.” [Surah al-Ahzab: 72]

4.      BERINTEGRITI DAN IKHLAS: Pemimpin atasan dan akar umbi PPBM yang dipilih perlu mempunyai nilai kejujuran dan prinsip-prinsip moral yang tinggi dan ikhlas dalam perjuangan. Kepentingan diri harus diketepikan sebaliknya hak dan kepentingan rakyat akar umbi harus diutamakan.

Keperibadian dan jati diri lain yang perlu diberi perhatian ialah: bersih, berdisiplin dan seiring dengan aspirasi PPBM.

B]         ILMU DAN PENGALAMAN PEMIMPIN

5. BERILMU: Pemimpin yang berilmu amat penting dalam menerajui bala tentera yang besar dan berpendidikan tinggi dalam PPBM. Apatah lagi rakyat Malaysia majoritinya adalah berilmu dan berpendidikan. Kepimpinan hari ini mesti bergerak dalam minda, idea dan cita-cita yang saling berhubung-kait dan ekosistem tanpa sempadan. Jangan menidakkan kebolehan dan potensi sumbangan GEN Y dan  golongan muda. Mereka bijak, mereka berdikari mereka boleh menilai dengan baik, tetapi golongan ini perlu dipimpin oleh mereka yang lebih berpengalaman.

6. SEMANGAT BERPASUKAN: Satu pasukan dalam Bahagian dan Cawangan yang merangkumi kedua-dua golongan muda dan tua amat penting untuk memberi keseimbangan antara pengalaman, ilmu, tenaga dan dinamisme bekerja. Dalam politik, konsep kerja berpasukan jarang diamalkan berbanding di sektor korporat kerana akhirnya pertandingan yang berlaku mengutamakan individualism dan yang menjadi ketua akan lebih menyerlah dari yang lain. Di Malaysia, pertandingan dan keghairahan memegang kuasa akan lazimnya menimbulkan pertelingkahan yang berpanjangan dan di sulami fitnah dan tikam menikam. Ini adalah satu budaya jelik yang sepatutnya dielakkan dan dihapuskan sekiranya kita ingin maju ke depan menjadi negara Islam yang progresif dan bertamadun.

7. PENGALAMAN: Hanya pemimpin yang berpengalaman sahaja yang mampu membawa pengikutnya untuk bergerak seiring dengan aspirasi dan cita-cita pemimpin tersebut. Pengalaman ini perlu ditimba dalam satu proses pembelajaran dalam jangka masa tertentu. Ilmu dan kebolehan semata-mata tidak cukup untuk menarik ahli dan pengikut untuk bekerja dalam satu pasukan.

Kepimpinan yang berkesan memerlukan pengalaman yang kritikal untuk menyampaikan pemikiran yang jelas, memberi inspirasi kepada ahli pasukan untuk bersama-sama mereka, berkeupayaan untuk menerima perbezaan dan berkeupayaan melihat di luar dari yang nyata berdasarkan pengalaman mereka.

Saya ingin meminjam kata-kata Ronald Reagan yang mengatakan   "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."

9. THOUGHT LEADERS: Thought Leadership adalah konsep Kepimpinan Berilmu di mana pemimpin ini menjadi rujukan pendapat dalam bidang kepakaran mereka. Mereka dipercayai sebagai sumber yang bergerak dan memberi inspirasi kepada orang ramai dengan idea-idea yang inovatif; mampu menterjemahkan idea menjadi realiti, dan boleh memimpin ahli untuk meniru kejayaan mereka. Apabila timbul pertelingkahan untuk memilih pemimpin, thought leaders perlu dijadikan pilihan.

Nilai kepimpinan ini amat sesuai dalam konteks sekarang di mana pemimpin melatih dan melahirkan lebih ramai pemimpin di bawahnya untuk melaksanakan aspirasi dan mencapai objektif pembangunan negara yang dicita-citakan. Kita tidak mahu pemimpin lahir, cuba mencipta legasi sendiri dengan menghapuskan legasi pemimpin lama, semata-mata untuk kelihatan lebih hebat dari pemimpin terdahulu. Ini adalah satu sikap yang tidak menguntungkan bagi pembudayaan dan ketamadunan sesebuah bangsa.

Dalam konteks negara kita, Tun Abdullah dan DS Najib adalah dua pemimpin yang cuba membina legasi sendiri tetapi malangnya mereka gagal menghasilkan deliverables yang memberi nilai tambah kepada kehidupan masyarakat Malaysia, malah memusnahkan legasi yang telah dibangunkan oleh Tun Dr Mahathir.

10. BERTINDAK (RESULT ORIENTED AND DELIVERABLES): Kita harus mengekang dan lari dari kebiasaan pemimpin UMNO yang kuat beretorik dan hanya boleh berceramah di pentas pidato dalam sorakan yang kuat, tetapi kosong ilmu dan amal, terutama untuk bekerja dalam satu pasukan dan menghasilkan deliverables dan matlamat seperti yang ditetapkan. Pemimpin harus keluar dari keselesaan pangkat dan kuasa tetapi turun padang keluar bekerja.

Keberkesanan seorang pemimpin ialah yang menekankan prinsip kepimpinan berasaskan nilai (values-based leadership). Untuk menjadi seorang pemimpin yang berkesan dalam abad ke-21 ini, pemimpin PPBM di Peringkar Negeri dan Bahagian perlu melakukan lebih banyak daripada hanya beretorik. Mereka yang dipilih perlu boleh membuat keputusan dan mempunyai pemikiran yang tegas dan inklusif, cepat bertindak dan boleh mengenali nilai yang dibawa oleh orang lain. 

C. WAWASAN DAN ASPIRASI PEMIMPIN

11. TRANSFORMATIONAL AND VISIONARY LEADERS: Seorang transformational dan visionary  leaders (pemimpin yang menggalakkan perubahan dan berwawasan) mempunyai visi yang jauh ke hadapan dan bercita-cita untuk mengubah sistem dan tahap pencapaian negara menjadi lebih baik. Bagi saya, Tun Dr Mahathir adalah seorang transformational dan visionary leader yang agung di abad ini. Terdapat beberapa pemimpin dalam PKR dan PPBM yang mempunyai kecenderungan dalam corak kepimpinan begini dan bakal menjadi pemimpin yang hebat. Mereka perlu menggilap orang-orang yang terbaik bersama mereka untuk menjadi hulubalang dan panglima yang kuat, ikhlas dan setia untuk bergerak sebagai satu pasukan menuju arah yang ditetapkan.

Pemimpin peringkat Negeri, Bahagian dan Cawangan yang dipilih perlu memupuk dan belajar melihat kehadapan dalam konteks politik dan sahsiah negara yang lebih besar dan ruang lingkup pembangunan yang lebih menyeluruh.

12. ISLAH DAN PERDAMAIAN: Pemimpin PPBM harus menekankan konsep islah dan menggalakkan perdamaian sesama rakyat Malaysia untuk menjadi satu bangsa merdeka yang kuat. Kita harus lari dari dogma perkauman yang dilagukan oleh UMNO yang menghindari persepakatan sesama rakyat Malaysia. Islah adalah usaha untuk memperbaiki hubungan di antara rakyat yang bersengketa dengan menghulurkan tali yang kuat dan kukuh antara manusia, teristimewa antara DAP yang mewakili kaum cina dengan seluruh parti yang mewakili bangsa Melayu di dalam Pakatan Harapan demi perpaduan negara.

Konsep pengislahan mestilah bermula di dalam diri pemimpin yang dipilih itu supaya ianya tidak berlaku zalim terhadap manusia lain bila berkuasa nanti.

13. HADARAH: Kebangkitan hadarah (PERADABAN) bukanlah suatu yang dibangunkan dalam nilai berbentuk dogmatik ataupun doktrinisasi mahupun budaya pembodohan yang membawa fenomena kelemahan berfikir masyarakat sebagaimana yang cuba dibawa oleh UMNO. Sebaliknya hadarah membentuk masyarakat yang percaya kepada perinsip nilai kebaikan di dalam beragama, menjadikan budaya ilmu dan tradisi ilmu sebagai jalan mencari kebenaran.

Hadarah hendaklah diangkat sebagai suatu kemajuan atau pembangunan yang difahami di dalam pandangan Islam bukanlah konsep kemajuan Barat semata-mata. Penyelewengan makna pembangunan yang sebenar telah menimbulkan budaya nilai-nilai akhlak yang merosakkan manusia dan akhirnya melahirkan masyarakat Malaysia yang mementingkan kebendaan tanpa melihat kepentingan nilai-nilai murni kehidupan bermasyarakat.

Pemimpin datang dan pergi tetapi legasi perlu diteruskan, dipercambahkan [proliferation]  dan dimampankan [sustainability] demi kesinambungan tamadun bangsa tersebut.

Pemimpin sejati tidak akan bersikap begini sebaliknya akan meneruskan legasi dan memastikan pembangunan mampan diteruskan dan sedar bahawa adalah suatu tanggungjawab pada diri mereka untuk melakukan amanah dengan kuasa dan jawatan yang diberikan.

Malaysia memerlukan PEMIMPIN-PEMIMPIN sejati dan yang sebenar!
MAS DARBY

NAJIB - A MALAYSIA DILEMMA

What Malaysia is facing today is unprecedented – an event that has never happened in Malaysia before, where the highest executive power is facing with ‘trust deficit’ and has conducted actions that raised concerns amongst local and international communities.

TDM who was the PM of Malaysia for 22 years is standing up to save the nation which is now facing with critical situation under the weak premiership of NAJIB. In addition, NAJIB as Advisor of 1MDB, a strategic investment company formed under the Ministry of Finance; is entangled with scandals and probably engaged in financial graft. NAJIB actions and involvement is regarded as undermining the reputation of Malaysia’s financial institutions, for example 1MDB which was allegedly breaking foreign-exchange rules, has led the Central Bank [Bank Negara] to propose criminal prosecutions against 1MDB (Wright, 2015 ). On top of that, NAJIB has also taken questionable actions by removing the DPM, the AG and involved in termination of officers in the Task Force set up to conduct enquiry into 1MDB.   The act to terminate the AG is in fact against Malaysia Constitution.  Article 145, Clause (6), stated that the Attorney General shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and may at any time resign his office and, unless he is a member of the Cabinet, shall receive such remuneration as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may determine (Malaysia, 2011). Thus, the termination of AG by the PM is unconstitutional because it was not within his jurisdiction.

TDM did not offend any of the clauses against the Sedition Act 1948, since his concern is with regards to the wrong doing of NAJIB, who is ­­­holding the highest executive power in Malaysia as well as against 1MDB, a company - not YDPA or the Government of Malaysia. In all his writings, he did not at all raised hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against YDPA or the Government of Malaysia. As a responsible citizen who loves his country and has decades of experienced in governing the country, what TDM is doing is not about overthrowing a government but about positioning Malaysia back into what she was before, as a great nation.!

 

In addition to the above, as a citizen of Malaysia TDM is doing his rights on Freedom of Speech as stipulated in the Constitution of Malaysia Article 10 Clause 1, and within Clauses (2), (3) and (4) which stated that every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression; subject to any restriction imposed by any law relating to the security of the Federation. (Malaysia, 2011) Clearly, TDM did not affect and risk the security of Malaysia when he writes and voices his dissatisfaction of the weaknesses and wrongdoings of NAJIB.

Notwithstanding, TDM is exposing NAJIB that has abused his position and democracy in the country by threatening and taking actions against people who exposed his wrongdoings. To emphasis this point, his speech on June 1 2015 is considered as threatening the Cabinet Ministers by giving an ultimatum to support him [of his wrongdoings]; or they resign from the Government.

Under TDM premiership, Malaysia boasts one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant economies, as result of decades of industrial growth and political stability. Sadly today, Malaysia suffers the lowest economic growth in Southeast Asia. 

With the plunging currency rate, shrinking foreign direct investment [FDI] into the country, weakening of Malaysia’s future economic prosperity, coupled with uncertainty of political future; I agree with TDM to call for NAJIB to step down. Indeed, Malaysia needs a new Prime Minister.