By LIM JIE SHENG
brats@thestar.com.my
NEVER in my life would I have thought of getting the opportunity to enter the statehouse to witness how a state government is run. It was almost an impossible task for me. I mean, why would anyone want a typical teenager in a statehouse? It was hard to believe when I got an invitation from The Indiana General Assembly to serve as a page in the statehouse for a day. I could hardly believe it, but in the end, I went to the Indiana Statehouse, right in midst of the buzzing American city of Indianapolis.
The state of Indiana has been running the page programme since 1941. It offers an excellent educational opportunity for students aged 13-18 to gain a firsthand glimpse on how the legislative process works, via a behind-the-scenes tour. Students get the opportunity to work alongside legislators, legislative assistants and interns. It was definitely an eye opener for me to witness how a democratic government is run.
The page programme gave me the opportunity to attend sessions in the State Senate and witness legislators on the house floor debate current issues and pass bills into laws of the state. We also got the rare privilege to see where the Governor works and observe floor sessions of the House, Senate and Supreme Court Chambers.
Inside the Indiana Statehouse, where representatives debate issues and discuss bill proposed for the state’s laws.
The page programme is very beneficial to participants. We were all personally assigned to a state representative each and got the opportunity to understand and see for ourselves what life as a state representative is like. Honestly, it isn’t an easy task – their jobs have no fixed hours and they constantly serve the community.
What I found interesting here was that the general public also gets the opportunity to enter the statehouse and attend sessions. In Indiana, the statehouse belongs to the public and the state government strongly emphasises that it is the public’s “home”. Thus, the public can enter the statehouse and witness sessions on session days. Sessions will only take place from January to March every year.
This experience has thought me to admire all state representatives, not just here in Indiana, but those back home in Malaysia, too. Surely, a state representative’s job is a noble one and should be highly respected by people.
They sacrifice so much to serve the community. But often, most of us tend to take them for granted and not even say a word of thanks. The next time you meet any of these unsung heroes, just flash them a smile, and thank them sincerely because they deserve it.
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