DR Mahathir Mohamad’s reiteration that only the Pakan Harapan presidential council gets to determine who will succeed him as prime minister soothes jitters in the current political climate, where there has been talk of horse trading and back-door deals.

His previous ambiguous statements on the succession plan had given impetus to rivalry within the ruling pact, with long knives and dark hands reigning over good governance, and reforms taking a back seat.

The tag team of Umno and PAS, essentially a partnership of convenience, has taken an ultra-racist stance and succeeded in dictating the national narrative, whereby the issue of race has taken precedence over almost everything, from education to the economy. Pakatan Harapan had gotten off on the right foot, but it soon tripped on the ethno-religious bigotry. This even led to an academic describing the pact’s governance as an “unmitigated disaster”.

Top PH leaders often say the problems left behind by the previous government cannot be resolved within a year, and it may take a full term for the pact to fulfil its election promises. While this is acceptable, it does not mean that while we wait for Parliament to vote in favour of institutional reforms, nothing is done to tackle the growing issue of bigotry, which has prompted a senior cop to caution about potential race riots.

The Zakir Naik episode has gone from a misstep to a quagmire. Brought in by the previous administration to distract critics of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd fiasco, the Mumbai-born preacher’s fiery speeches have allegedly sown discord among Malaysians, who comprise various races. Never mind the thousands at his programmes who were probably unable to understand much of the English he spoke.

A simple issue that could have been solved with a stroke of the pen is now another sore point, antagonising bilateral trade. It probably requires several more trips by our primary industries minister, clad in a saree, and skilful damage control by our Foreign Ministry officials to appease Indian authorities.

The gathering of an ethnic group to discuss problems faced by the race is not an issue, as already mentioned in many articles and editorials. But allowing for “divisive talk camouflaged as standing up for Malay rights” – a phenomenon often seen at Umno assemblies – does not help PH’s push for “shared prosperity”. Dr Mahathir needs no reminder that he is a prime minister for all Malaysians. His presence at the Malay Dignity Congress earlier this month provided tacit support to the inflammatory remarks by certain academics. It also emboldened those accustomed to stoking racial sentiments and creating imaginary enemies in the “art” of politicking.

Incendiary words like “pendatang” and “orang asing” should never be uttered six decades after independence. The ghost of these highly charged words, and that of the so-called “social contract”, should have been long exorcised. These words only reflect our immaturity as a society and nation, and a decadence for which national leaders must first take the blame. My earlier article, titled “To rebuild, Malaysia must deconstruct”, calls for a common understanding of our past to help in the reconstruction process.

The flip-flop on ratifying the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Rome Statute also supports the criticism that PH’s performance thus far has been an “unmitigated disaster”.

Nobody feels joy in seeing our nation fester. Now that the body to decide on the prime minister’s post has been explicitly stated, the path forward to rebuild our country, with a focus on the economy, is clear. Let us bury the ghost of yesteryears, so that we do not become forever haunted by the racial polemics that have not allowed our society and nation to grow.

From now on, all politicians should imbue themselves with the spirit of inclusivity, as Malaysia belongs to all its citizens. Over time, when the “New Malaysia” is finally and truly constructed, the discourse on issues pertaining to the social contract, currently nerve-wracking, will become redundant. There should be no more inkling of a government being formed through the back door. No more tit-for-tat suggestions on the time frame for the power transition. Only the PH presidential council has prerogative over this issue.

In the meantime, the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, also seen as a needs-based policy, if sincerely implemented, should supersede the “unmitigated disaster”. – October 31, 2019.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He has a burning desire to do anything within his means to promote national harmony. Captain Wong is also a member of the National Patriots Association.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.