ON November 24, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took office and his cabinet was formed on December 3.

Yes, the new unity government is still not yet two months old, but already there are people requesting meetings, sending memorandums and issuing public statements for the government to take action on their particular cause.

Government supporters have leapt to its defence, asking the enthusiastic public to be patient and give the cabinet more time.

Supporters say the government is a large coalition of parties with diverse ideologies, each with their own set of election manifestos.

The add that some of these parties have never formally worked together before, so it is a fragile government with many political tensions and potential for break-up, especially with Umno’s party polls and six state elections on the way.

Supporters say the government should not be hurried and be allowed to focus on its work, to prove what it can do for the rakyat.

In which case, how much time should be given for the government to take action and fulfill its election promises?

For ministers and civil servants, policymaking presents various challenges. The lowest hanging fruits are for the ministry to pledge its commitment and publish any policy or action plan, though these are not legally binding.

Ministers do have power to gazette any changes to existing regulations or guidelines under a certain law, or issue any circular order to enforce regulations differently.

Hence, it is up to the minister to make a change if the policy is within his or her executive power.

However, if a problem requires the minister to propose amendments to existing laws or even draft a completely new law, then it may need to get past the cabinet, with advice from the attorney-general and then to drafting a bill for parliament.

The government is required to table bills to parliament. Ordinary bills require merely a simple majority to pass, but this already places the burden on the ministry to persuade peers in the cabinet and later rally parliament to get the support.

This kind of legislation change may not come quickly, but efforts have to be seen.

The bar is higher if the problem requires amendments to the Federal Constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

Even if the government does not have a two-thirds majority, there are still ways in which it can amend the Federal Constitution, as in the case of the anti-party hopping and Undi18 legislation.

However, this usually requires bipartisan support to make it happen.

The people’s usual concern is about the implementation and enforcement of new laws. They often judge by the final outcome. They want to see the effect on the ground and the changes in reality.

Some problems are complex, such as tackling poverty or lowering incidents of non-communicable diseases, as they may not be solved just by a single piece of legislation or adjusting regulations.

Some problems may involve one or more public institutions. Thus, these need institutional reform, or changes to a number of key laws.

In which case, it would take some time to see through the legal changes, and an even longer timeline to observe the effect these reforms bring.

In fact, politics is more than just the procedural technicality of passing and enforcing laws. Even if the minister is convinced by certain policies, he or she may also like to consult internally with civil servants and agencies, as well as hear from subject-matter experts, affected parties, and civil society organisations.

In the end, the minister has to show political will to make the necessary changes and do the right thing in the public interest and common good, despite the challenges posed by certain vested interests.

People-centric politicians have to show no fear or favour in their resolve, no matter how powerful the lobbies and the threats of repercussions.

Good politicians should not be afraid to change bad laws and policies. If they backtrack from their principles, then this leaves people with the impression they are merely politicking when in opposition but do nothing when in power.

Some are eager for this new unity government to work out, but the politicians just need the right strategies and political wisdom to start working on election promises, and not to say that they have to deliver the outcome immediately.

Politicians do not need further excuses and people should stop providing them such, especially ‘poor political timing’.

Any time now is a good time to start fulfilling the election promises – the earlier the better, just don’t leave it too late.

Pakatan Harapan’s previous 22 months of governance is a good reminder that political reality can change quickly and waits for no one. – January 16, 2023.

* Lim Chee Han is a founding member of Agora Society and a policy researcher. He holds a PhD in infection biology from Hannover Medical School, Germany, and an MSc in immunology and BSc in biotechnology from Imperial College London. Health and socioeconomic policies are his concerns. He believes a nation can advance significantly if policymaking and research are taken seriously.

* 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.