THE best speeches given by politicians or any others are those done without reference to written scripts.
Off the cuff or impromptu speeches by politicians are better than those read from scripts. Politicians and others who know their respective areas well should have no qualms about giving impromptu speeches.
Reading from written or prepared speeches is dull and doesn’t engage the audience.
In comparison to his past counterparts, present Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a well-experienced politician and a knowledgeable one, too.
Anwar has many interests in ideas, theories and philosophies. Given this predilection, it would be unexpected for Anwar to just read from official scripts prepared by his staff or experts assigned to write his speeches.
Reading from written scripts might not endear Anwar to the general public keen on listening to his ideas ranging from fighting corruption to reforming the administration.
Of course, for certain functions especially at the international level, written scripts are the norm. Giving such speeches from written scripts minimises misinterpretations and misunderstandings.
Such pre-prepared speeches ensures that messages imparted by leaders and politicians are not misunderstood. Speeches based on written texts are the best safeguard from misinterpretation and the spread of misinformation.
Polished oratory skill
There is always time and place for both impromptu and speeches read from prepared scripts. It is not necessary for the know-it-all former health minister Khairy Jamaludin to advise Anwar about the manner of delivering speeches.
Khairy recently commented that Anwar’s public speeches were punctuated with incomplete sentences, lacks meaning and devoid of developed ideas. He blamed Anwar’s off the cuff speeches as the source of the problems.
In short, he said that Anwar speeches are marked by the lack of coherence and logic. In a way – without spelling it out – Khairy prefers Anwar to stick to written scripts rather than giving impromptu ones, the latter being the source of the primary problem.
Khairy can say what he likes. But advising Anwar on how to deliver his speeches is something that is not necessary as Anwar is the master of his own speech.
No one leader is alike. In this regard, Anwar is different from other past PMs. One of the reasons why Anwar is a popular leader in the country – and once the architect of the reform movement – was his ability to convince the audience through electrifying speeches.
He might not be a demagogue but certainly an effective speaker. A person who can endear himself to the public.
Anwar’s speeches might be at times be not well-understood. But such misunderstandings and understandings are part and parcel of what makes or breaks politicians.
Anwar is no exception on this matter. How Anwar wants to deliver his public speeches is best left to him. Others can either make favourable or unfavourable comments for it is all part of the general public discourse.
Given his vast political experience and the effective manner in which engages the audience, Anwar has probably crafted a particular methodology in engaging with the public.
Engaging in public speeches is one thing but the effectiveness of the political system will depend on other variables. For the time being, let us not throw spanners in Anwar’s public engagements vis-à-vis his engagement with the public. – April 12, 2023
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the DAP state assemblyman for Perai. He is also Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main photo credit: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Facebook
