Friday, November 03, 2006

Giving Favor vs Receiving Favor



This is a conundrum, often paradoxical within the penumbra of the principles of justice, corruption and kleptorism.

If you are in powerful position whereby the power and authority vested in you could move mountains, crush boulders and rocks, or parlay wealth and riches, do you need to give favor to your wife or children or relatives?

The critical differences arise is the pose of :

Receiving Favor (from those who curry favor) vs Giving Favor (self-interests)

In human logics and presumptions of the principles of good governance, it's the parable of the climbing monkeys. The powerful and sovereign needn't do anything for there will be scores of ballcarriers and aspirants who are more than willing to part off with their properties or wealth to the oligarchy.

When I was the CEO, everyday, there will be quite many who wanted lunch and dinner appointments with me. It will include after-meal entertainments... and all of these, have nothing to do with work or business, because it is after office hour and for the fact that I too need to eat and drink. At these functions, we do not talk "business"; we talk about wine, women and sex.

However, the implication and consequences are that we would become "good friends" and if my "good friends" are in need, I would assist within the best of my ability, as the saying goes: A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed.

Do we understand the terms and definition of Nepotism and Cronism?

I remembered a story:

One day, Sultan of Perak passed by the Kuala Kangsar New District Office building (under construction). He commented that the front porch column looks a bit small.

Immediately, someone (Orang Besar) called up JKR to inform the JD about the comment. The contractor was immediately asked to enlarged the column.

The next trip, the Sultan saw the enlarged column and commented: How come the column is so big? The orang besar told the Sultan that it was enlarge because of his previous comment. Apparently, the Sultan was just making a casual comment and didn't expected it to be amended which in effect wasn't better.

What's the moral of the story?

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