K Shanmugam not image building

I put aside the fact that Shanmugam is a politician and minister when he or his colleagues share stories like these. I don't know how many will accommodate politicians this way. I can contrast this with how this government treated the Rohingya Muslims when they sailed into our waters and sought help, we turned them away. I don't know our reasons for acting so seemingly callous. What and where is the larger purpose that made us acted thus?

Personally I had to make the effort not to be cynical but at the same time I do not let my guard down. It is hard for politicians to earn my trust. Often I trust them out of necessity than desire. I also have to count on others to voice their displeasure as needed but not every issue you are convicted of is shared by the majority.

It is costly to be a politician if you want to be a good one. Most of the time the job attracts the wrong types since most people want to see profits and not costs and losses. In most places the game is played where costs and losses are visible but far larger profits are hidden.

So is K Shanmugam just indulging in image building? To be practical and this goes beyond him to the others, I cannot tell and must decide without such knowledge. To be decent, I must respond to him as if he is genuine but like I said, I wouldn't let my guard down.

A good image buys you some support especially among the impressionable and ignorant. It is consistent fair play especially to the weaker opponent, accountability and transparency which earn enduring trust. It also make the jobs of ministers much easier. I could not understand why smart people would make their work harder. Assuming they have nothing to hide then it must be they don't trust us, in which case the insult would and must be returned and we are all poorer for it.

Oh yes, before I quit, this thought just arrived. They play god and we are told across the various scriptures that gods' ways are higher than our ways. Problem is each time we check, they haven't turned into gods yet. May be I cut you some slack that the gods living among us are poor communicators. Meanwhile over time we can't help but notice the brain gap between them and us keeps narrowing.

I take it that the good minister is not indulging in building his image. He was being himself. I would like him and colleagues to invest in becoming more transparent and accountable and don't forget to play fair too. If we fail to do these then over time our political culture must become as rotten as anywhere else.