Sadly, the old cut-out, poster and polythene culture persists 

There’s no doubt that every person who watched the television interview of President Maithripala Sirisena was thrilled for many reasons. Predominantly, it may not be because the interview was conducted by Upul Shantha Sannasagala who was a fellow campaigner on Maithri’s platform. In fact that factor could raise more questions than answers as how a campaign colleague who voiced the same slogans on the same political platform could raise questions from the other. 

Though Upul attempted to represent the civilian populace when questioning the President, the fact is  that both are still in the same camp and working on the same agenda. However, we have seen many previous Presidents using his or her confidantes to conduct interviews. Even at the Janapathi Janahamuwa introduced by former President Rajapaksa, he had his own pick- and- choose policy for the panel of questioning journalists. In fact these hand-picked journalists would not throw googlies but full tosses for easy batting. I think this particular interview was no different. These interviews are designed not to grill the interviewee but to raise his or her profile. In a normal journalistic interviewing platform, the interviewee (in this case the politician) should be smart enough to raise his or her own profile by tactful answers and sharp responses to tough questions by the interviewing journalist. But in profiling interviews, the questions are not tough at all, but soft enough to raise the profile of the interviewee. One could categorise them as agenda-driven; but again I do not see any harm in such exercises.

The reason I said that the viewers would have been thrilled by this interview was due to the humbleness President Maithri displayed throughout the interview. He in fact started with a modest comment stating that he would do away with the extra-respectful titles such as Athigaru (similar to Right Honourable) or Shreemath. It depicted the unassuming nature of this person who rose to the highest position  in the country from a paddy field in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka. 

Nevertheless, Maithri is not the first President to reach such a high seat from grass root level. In that context, it was President Premadasa who was the first ‘People’s President’ in Sri Lanka. If one could remember, President Premadasa, too, was an extra-ordinarily humble person at his beginning. I can still remember our news desk receiving written instructions from Sucharitha not to use such illustrative words when introducing the President. Being a state media outlet, Lake House - especially the Dinamina - would not think twice when using such honorary words before the name of the serving President. But I can remember the instructions were conveyed to us by our editor G. S. Perera at a daily newsroom meeting one morning, not to use Athigaru before the name of the President. But we all know how it ended; not only Athigaru but both Athigaru and Shreemath became musts. This is not to undermine the great services of the late President Premadasa I have great respect for, but to highlight the fact  how things could be changed in the passage of power. I remembered this when  Minister Sajith Premadasa during last week’s parliament debate on the Chief Justice’s issue used both Athigaru and Shreemath to introduce President Maithri. I am not attempting to say that President Maithri may also fall into the same category, but to be mindful of history. Another comment President Maithri made during Upul’s interview was about cut-outs. He said he has already given firm instructions to the police to remove cut-outs and placards that  exhibit his pictures. 

In fact at the last presidential election, it was proved that cut-outs and billboards could be counter-productive in electioneering campaigns. Veteran political commentator, M. S. M. Ayub said in one his columns just after the polls, that Maithri proved the bitter truth that one could win elections without cut-outs and polythene. But, is it being adhered to the letter in the rest of the country? It is  disgusting to note that Rajapaksa pictures on CTB buses have been replaced by those of Maithri. Some buses  carry the picture of the transport minister as well, a mere continuation of the practice of the previous regime. The expected change included even these minor issues – but, to my mind those are not minor issues at all. Have we changed just the faces of the same regime?. 

Just travel down south – say from Matara to Tissamaharama- one could see the excessive use of green- coloured polythene and also many cut outs of Maithri and other politicians displayed – even with pictures of local body politicians. Of course, a general election is near, but the landmark trend [of a campaign without cut-outs, posters etc.] that had been set by Maithri, should be continued without confining it to one Presidential election. 

Personally it is my firm belief that there should be a paradigm shift in profiling politicians when it comes to election campaigns. We are fed up of the cut-out and polythene culture, especially at the last election, that fell under the cynical views of the public. This message should be strongly conveyed to every politician at every level in every political party.