What real change in Malaysia entails

Mustafa K. Anuar Mustafa K. Anuar Updated 8 years ago · Published on 18 Mar 2018 3:00PM · 4 Comments

POLITICAL cartoonist Zunar’s assertion that he would still criticise the government even if Pakatan Harapan (PH) takes power is a good starting point in addressing the issue of political change.

Cartoonists, critics, academics, independent analysts and concerned Malaysians should have a platform and the freedom to exercise their right to make the government accountable.

And, given that the PH has promised political change and institutional reform, it is only proper that should it come to power after the 14th general election, PH be subject to the highest standards of public scrutiny.

That is why, for example, laws such as Printing Presses and Publications Act (as mentioned by PH recently), which has been abused in the past, should not be amended but repealed.

There should also be incentives for smaller media outlets so that political, social and cultural diversity is embraced and celebrated, and the interests and concerns of minorities and the marginalised are protected.

And this should be accompanied by the passing of a Freedom of Information Act to demonstrate the government’s sincerity and full appreciation of freedom of expression and information as a cornerstone of democracy.

The notion of separation of powers should not remain a fanciful idea only at the hustings. It should be concretised so that the executive, legislative and judiciary should really check each other so as to prevent any power abuse irrespective of who becomes the government.

If this idea is pursued vigorously, then we would be able to avoid, for instance, the embarrassing situation in which our Parliament becomes a place where issues of national import and public concern, such as the 1MDB scandal and the UNICEF report on child poverty and malnutrition, are prevented from being discussed.  

Incidentally, lawmakers should be reminded that laws should be created to empower the people, not to cow or leash them – as was and remains the practice to a large extent in the country.

Laws should also be instituted for the interests and welfare of the people, not the select few.

A government of real change should not think that muzzling criticism through censorship and other sinister means is the only way of maintaining order.

It should help build an environment where ideas flourish, discussed and debated in a way a civilised and democratic society should. There should be respect for intellectual freedom.

In the academia, for example, students should not be punished, fined and suspended simply because their opinions are dissimilar to the government.

Put another way, university authorities should not react in a manner that would give the general public an impression that they have left their mental faculties behind upon gaining administrative power in universities.

It goes without saying, therefore, that universities should be a place where contrarian views are part and parcel of academic life, and should not be perceived as something abnormal or, worse, criminal.

Similarly, academic institutions, such as the National Council of Professors, should untangle itself from the public impression that it is merely there to provide legitimacy to government views and actions.

Books, including cartoon books, need not be banned just because they are discordant with the government’s views.

And another thing, the Opposition should not be perceived and regarded by the government of the day as an unnecessary evil because it is a legitimate institution in a thriving democracy. Not a nuisance to be mocked or even quashed.

To be sure, right-thinking Malaysians look forward to more than a mere change of political actors with a similar tired script when they go to the polling station in the near future. – March 18, 2018.

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Comments

  • Hmm. PH has promised many things BUT most of it, its about fighting corruption and abuse of power, restore law and order, i..e, sound branches and system of govt, and very little really is about liberal causes and principles. Yes, they said they will give freedom of speech, freedom of press, fight discriminationm environement etc but the fact is most of the talking is about corruption, abuse of power, law and order.. and through that, the more liberal things will happen.. That is why the champions of the liberal causes will have a problem with PH, its just not what that gets them elected, frankly,.. So liberals, take a chill pill. They may not win and you already try to stake up front?

    Posted 8 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Well said. Valid points indeed. Whoever in power actually know this very well, I presume because these are the basic in politic. The real key factor is whether the government of the day is willing to serve the people faithfully without bias or not. I hope Malaysia can be a better and more beautiful country in the globe.

    Posted 8 years ago by Shiaw Loh · Reply

  • What PH has done is they have made a list of actions they think will win votes. There is no commitment to anything, no time frame. We know from past experience in Malaysian politics that the only things which gets done are personal hobby horses. What is lacking is a political philosophy which extends beyond I Know What Is Right for Everyone. Everyone knows what the Republicans and the democrats stand for. Nobody, not even the aspiring candidates, know what Harapan stands for. They have no idea of anything beyond getting rid of Najib. We saw PR Penang dissipate into a Guan Eng Love Fest because the government had no direction. It still hasn’t, after ten years. Selangor is the same, and exercise in mindless, directionless dissipation. There is not one Harapan aspiree with any vision, so the inevitable outcome will be the visionless selfish despotism of Mahathir, because nobody has a philosophy to stand up to him nor the strength of unity to resist him. Then he will die and all the selfish greedy little wannabes will want things done their way. What a future that will be

    Posted 8 years ago by Dennis Madden · Reply

  • I would ask the doting mindless supporters of Harapan: What in principle is the difference between Guan Eng’s Tunnel and Najib’s ECRL? Think about that, although I know you wont because you dont think about your political decisions... you simply do and think as you are told to do and think. Both are unsupportable, irrational, ill planned and impulsive actions by men who haven’t a clue what they are talking about. Both were undertaken with little consultation, both will be sending Malaysia’s hard earned cash to overseas opportunists ... and both are wonderful vehicles for corruption to take place. Neither has any real benefit to the people of Malaysia. The only difference is the C word. That’s the sort of government you think will benefit this country.

    Posted 8 years ago by Dennis Madden · Reply