Rakyat deserves competent representation

THANK you, Dr Asraf Mohamed Moubark and Dr Muhammad Ammirul Atiqi Mohd Zainuri for your thought-provoking letter on the need to raise the bar for political leadership (“Rethinking qualifications for politicians”, The Star, Aug 6; online at bit.ly/star_qualify). Your reflections come at a time when many Malaysians are questioning the quality and competence of those representing us.

In ancient China, the Confucian scholar Lü Zhi advised emperors that a ruler must first cultivate personal virtue and wisdom before seeking to lead others. He believed that leadership without discipline, learning, and ethical grounding would only lead to disorder and public suffering. His teachings remind us that the power to govern should not lie solely in popularity, but in proven character and capability.