Thank God the online version did not carry my picture byline, which was taken some three years ago, when I was still based with the newspaper. Now look older I guess... How not to?
Politician's aide -- a behind-the-scenes story
2009/08/16
I WORK as an aide to a minister -- not a job some parents would want their kids to take up these days.
Aides to politicians today instantly remind one of Teoh Beng Hock, the political secretary who died tragically last month.
In fact, his boss, a senior Selangor leader who happens to be my assemblyman, had complained of difficulties in finding a replacement for Teoh, following objections from parents.
We aides tend to shun the media limelight, unlike some of our bosses. This makes our jobs much easier, but it also lends an air of mystery to what we do.
I get a lot of "what is your day-to-day like?" queries, usually asked with a suspicious tone and puzzled stares. I am used to it and, in a strange way, enjoy feeding on the imaginations of those who form ideas about officialdom from shows like The West Wing.
For aides, there is no one-job-description-fits-all. We aides, well, aid the boss in different capacities. Some take care of his ministerial matters, others his schedule, his constituency, his political activities and so on and so forth.
Invariably, the lines of responsibilities do blur, but this only adds to the wealth of knowledge and
experience we acquire along the way.
Before I took up this job, I was also a journalist like the late Teoh. Like him, we both took up the new challenge after last year's general election.
Friends tease me for "turning to the Dark Side". It's a jibe I still get, and one I take in my
stride.
For me personally, it has been very challenging since Day One. For starters, I joined a government which was at the time -- and let's be frank about this -- perceived to be under siege.
In the aftermath of the watershed March 8 general election, the conventional wisdom then was not to join a government that could tumble come Sept 16.
And since my appointment is tied to that of the minister's tenure, fears of me losing a job
were rather alarming.
Well, the date came and went and I guess the country's political scene has changed somewhat since. In any case, I do not get involved in any political activities.
Politics aside, work can be stressful when one is attached to a high-profile public figure. When the boss is under pressure, so are we.
And here's my favourite analogy: parts of a high-performance engine, like the spark plugs and pistons, tend to wear out faster than those in an ordinary one.
We aides are on round-the-clock standby and, unlike newspapers, there is no such thing as "offstone" time, when journalists can afford to take it easy after the pages go to the press.
Still, the job offers a rewarding experience few other professions could ever provide. I now have a better sense of how the government works, am privy to what goes on away from the public glare and help wage running battles along the corridors of power -- to keep the boss's agenda
on top.
Regardless of one's political affiliation, it is a privilege to be helping out near the stratospheric reaches of power.
Sure, it's not a bed of roses and, invariably, work does get into my personal life. Now, I am more wary of who I mingle with, what I say and how I say it.
Whether I like it or not, these are the things that will come to reflect on the boss -- and the last thing we want is to make the boss look bad.
Heck, I've even spent a fortune changing my wardrobe and even stopped going to the neighbourhood barber.
Crossing over to "the other side" also means coming to terms with the changing dynamics of friendships. There are former fellow journalists who I now have a strained relationship with due to professional differences.
There are even friends who take offence at me joining a leader whose party ideology is different from theirs (despite me telling them that I do not get involved in politics).
But along the way, I also make many new friends.
And then, of course, there's the family aspect. For better or worse, they have grown used to me being away on some weekends and late nights. And I am thankful they have remained supportive thus far.
All in all, being an aide has been a wonderful learning experience. Just being able to witness up-close how greed and power can bring out the best and worst in humanity is gratifying enough.
And yes, if my kids have the stomach for it, I wouldn't be the one stopping them from
following in their dad's footsteps.
* The writer is an aide to the Transport Minister and used to be an NST journalist. When he finds the time, he blogs at http://aidespeak.blogspot.com
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