If you hire someone, they shouldn’t steal from you, or break the law. At a minimum. Why don’t we expect the same from our politicians? Why do we have the lowest standards for the highest positions?
Recently the March 12 Movement collected hundreds of thousands of signatures – including those of President Sirisena and all major party leaders – on a simple declaration of standards for nominees. They seem basic, but it’s a sea change for Sri Lankan politics. They said that nominees should be:
- Not criminals
- Free of bribery and corruption
- Free of anti-social trades
- Environment friendly
- Not abusing authority
- Free of abusive financial contracts
- Close to their electors
- Adequate opportunities for women and youth
Now, this is actually a lower bar than for most private sector jobs, but it’s a start. We should vote this way. We should really start voting for people of good character above all, the same way we look for people of character in any relationship. As the Buddha said,
Don’t go around with evil friends,
with rogues do not resort.
Spend your time with noble friends,
and worthy ones consort. (Chapter 6, The Wise)
In this election I’m looking at policy, but honestly the promises are quite similar. I’m also trying to look at the people. That’s why I lean towards Harsha (21), Eran (6) and Rosy (12). People (including my mother) have said I should vote for more representative candidates, but I guess I feel like these people represent me and I can talk to them. I feel like they’re smart and educated and they can manage a complicated job.
Parliamentary voting is a personal thing – you’re literally voting for your representative – and this time I actually know some of the people and I think they’re decent. Maybe you feel more connected to other people and that’s fine. I can personally vouch for Harsha and Eran and Rosy, to my ears, has a good reputation.
That’s also why I’m leaning away from candidates like Ravi Karunayake, who I think is a bit dodgy, and why I’m fleeing from Mahinda and the UPFA. Because, you know, if his crew goes on vacation they call it a Rogues Resort. Mahinda did a lot for this country, but associating with noble friends wasn’t one of them.
You should obviously vote how you like. I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to vote for a good and decent man like Maithripala Sirisena. Someone who actually gave up power from the Presidency and who genuinely tries to humbly serve. People say he’s weak or ineffectual, but I think it takes great strength to just be decent in a culture where we’ve gotten so used to making excuses for our leaders.
The war is over and I am thankful to Mahinda (and Gothabaya) for their service. Can’t say I agree with the methods, but I am not ungrateful. I just don’t think this is their time. You can’t brute force your way to lasting peace, an economy built around people, and a stronger democracy. Sri Lankans have felt like they needed bad people to get stuff done, but it doesn’t have to be like that.
If you’re hiring for any other job you wouldn’t be like, ‘well he’s stealing my money and his friends took over my house, but at least we have a new driveway’. You’d just be like, ‘you’re fired, someone else build me a driveway’.
We fired Mahinda, and I think Ranil and Maithripala can build us a better country. I can’t say that I feel warm and fuzzy about Ranil but I think him and Maithripala (who I love) can do a good job of developing the country. Ranil is undoubtably smart and, for a politician, doesn’t seem corrupt. I think they generally have decent people around them, and they’re subject to legal checks and balances, as well as public pressure. I am very disappointed in the Central Bank scam and I’d be happier if both Arjunan Mahendran and Ravi were tossed out, but at some point politics is about the best of bad choices.
So I am voting for Ranil as Prime Minister, and I’m also voting for Harsha as a dude I know and can yell at if things are not going well. I also think he understands and lives on the Internet and we need that in power. I’m voting for Eran as someone with experience in the private sector and as someone who is a decent and gentle man. Being from the Internet electorate I think these are people that would listen to our ideas and be afraid of our wrath, which is good. I’m voting for Rosy because I think we need more women in Parliament and because she has stood up for women’s rights and rights in general in a hostile Parliament that’s leered and jeered at her. She’s intelligent and she works hard and we need that.
You vote for who you like, but I do hope you vote. However, if you think we have to compromise and elect bad people because that’s the way it is, I urge you to reconsider. The ‘way it is’ is the way we vote, and we quite literally can choose. It doesn’t have to be UNP, there are good people in the SLFP, like Mohan Lal Grero for example. It could be JVP or TNA or whatever – all the ex-insurrectionists are in the democratic fold now, which is good. Just try to vote for decent people. That more than roads or flashy infrastructure is the foundation of a prosperous, healthy and happy country.
Good people voting for good people can do great things. 6, 12, 21.
indi,
well you have mostly voted for guys that you know. Only time you voted UPFA was for Milinda Moragoda, and that was because he knew your dad or something (at least you said something along that line). And then you voted for SF when he himself proved (in a rather short time) that he was not suitable for politics nor civilian leadership.
But on the other hand you deciding that Ranil is good enough, does not surprice anyone who reads your blog. Afterall you are typical UNPer who likes their leaders to have class even if they were murderous thieves.
Following comment which was on colombotelegraph fits perfectly with your clan.
“Please do not use the word “HORA” to describe RW and long time UNPer Charlie Mahendran’s son Arjuna. They are not backward Hambantota Kurakkan eating Sinhalese. They are Colombo’s upper class elite. RW’s uncle was Bishop Laxman Wickremesinghe of Anglican church. His daddy was Esmond also Christian. His strong and dominant mom was Buddhist and a Wijewardene with long and old ties to Kelaniya. They are blue blooded Sinhala and Tamil English speaking aristocracy of Ceylon born to have servants, nannies, drivers, cooks and never had to clean a pot or dish or starve.
So when you unrefined Sinhala fellows call him “hora” it is uncivilized. Use an English word such as pilferer of public money or a grand larceny actor. If there is nothing to hide, why did Sujiwa go to courts to block it?
Now that is something PhD garrulous Harsha and [Edited out] Eran W can explain to people openly and candidly NOW during the campaign. Sirisena is a puppet muppet who is bossed by Chaura Rajini and RW.
But UNP will sweep the polls. We prefer our thieves to be sophisticated and not crude and unrefined like those from Hambantota. Even in thievery they maintain their class and dignity and drink Scotch from Crystal Decanters and have servants waiting at their beck and call. They are the elite who are destined to rule us and we must obey them. “- by TinPotJihadi
As for MS (MY3), I think he should leaves SLFP leadership ( a position he currently keeps with the help of the court system ) to form a party for people who actually likes him ( Instead for doing UNPs bidding).
indi,
may you can help that “dude who you know” with his game because he’s not doing a very impressive job at the moment.
https://www.facebook.com/LakshmanYapa/videos/10153685094116844/?pnref=story
(watch until the end)
I’m not going to comment much on your choice about Rosy because gender politics ( voting people mostly based on their gender ) is a big trend now. Since you are one of the foremost “trend bearers”, bearers needs to bear not matter what.
Mohan Lal Grero is a good man? Seriously. I’d rather register in Kalutara and vote for Kumara Velgama. Grero betrayed his party, meaning he took away the political agency of the people who voted for him. That’s one of the worst crimes you could commit as a politician.
Of the three you mentioned, I think Rosy and Harsha are pretty solid. Rosy and her father’s family has been UNPers for decades now, and Harsha is somewhat of an ideologue pompous enough to worry about his legacy and reputation. I’m not into identity politics, but I’d vote for Rosy too. Not because she’s a woman, or because she’s intelligent, or has achieved a lot for women, but because she’s a UNPer through and through. If I vote for her, my vote will remain in the UNP.
My advice to UNPers is just vote for those who you think never betray the party. So don’t vote for Gembas like Naveen, Mayantha and Rajitha. Don’t vote for outsiders like Patali either. Don’t worry too much about finding good, well-educated people. This is Sri Lanka. Finding good or well-educated the parliamentarians is important, but not as important as finding stalwart party men. Parliamentarians don’t run the country anyway. It’s always run by 4, 5 people, some of whom are not even elected to any office.
The fabulous logic of UNP where Grero is a traitor but president Sirisena is a hero is just so UNP.
Talking about democracy, good governance while praising president Sirisena is so contradictory. The man used executive presidential powers to hijack the leadership of SLFP and is using an enjoining order to prevent the SLFP central commitee from meeting. Not stopping at that he is trying to make his own party lose at the election. How is that for democracy?
@Saji
There’s a world of difference between what Sirisena did, and what Grero did. Sirisena quit and went for a mandate. Dayasiri Jayasekara too did the right thing by quitting and then running for the election from a different party. Grero on the other hand took a mandate from one party and crossed over to the other side. If you don’t see the difference, that’s because you’re a moron.
Anyway, all that is besides the point, which is that unless you’re a complete moron (so this doesn’t apply to you), you shouldn’t vote for anyone other than a party stalwart, because otherwise your vote is going to get betrayed. I support the UNP this time around, so I only request this from UNPers. SLFPers can do whatever they like.
I agree (as would most people, I guess).
How should we assess the two main camps?
My thoughts are here:
http://jestforkicks.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-should-we-vote.html