SEVERAL years ago, a Singaporean corporate leader was sharing his views with me on the state of Malaysia’s economy and the country’s potential to rise up as a healthy competitor to many of its economically booming regional neighbours.

As with most conversations about Malaysia’s future, all of the “plusses” – solid fundamentals, a healthy business environment and some of the brightest minds in the region and beyond – were offset by the deep-rooted corruption, leakages from public coffers and an affirmative action policy that was not needs-based but race-based.

“The biggest problem with Malaysia is you are too used to compromising, to making concessions,” he said.

“It’s like you don’t believe yourselves that you deserve the highest standards of governance and transparency.”

Years passed, political battles were lost and won, and then May 9 came when, for just a moment in time, I believed him to be wrong.

The message sent in the 14th general election was loud and clear: the majority of Malaysians were tired of settling for corrupt, unqualified leaders and their outdated, self-enriching policies. We no longer want not-quite-good-enough.

But almost six months after those heady first few weeks of a post-Barisan Nasional era, the curse of compromise appears to be afflicting some within the new government.

Earlier this week, we heard the news that up to 40 Umno lawmakers were making plans to ditch their party’s sinking ship and join Bersatu, the party founded by Umno’s longest-serving president and still highly respected icon, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir’s son, Mukhriz, pointed out that since there are no laws to prevent party-hopping, the act of 40 lawmakers leaving en masse to join an opposing pact was perfectly fine and democratic.

PKR’s Azmin Ali proudly declared that the party which prides itself on being reformists would “welcome any Umno MP that admit the policies by the PH government are a right move forward”.

The comments from Azmin and Mukhriz, while extremely disappointing, are not unexpected.

If they sound familiar, as if they came from the mouths of BN leaders themselves, it’s probably because both men are, after all, cut from the exact same cloth as the BN coalition they were so raucously berating just months ago.

To be fair to Pakatan Harapan’s two other coalition members, Amanah and DAP, have issued stern warnings against opening wide the pact’s arms to party-hoppers.

However, as one party lacks the numbers, and the other the right racial composition, it would be wishful thinking that their warnings will be taken seriously.

Accepting lawmakers from any opposition party is not in the true spirit of democracy and is a betrayal to Malaysians who not only voted PH into power but more importantly, voted out the kind of politics that Umno and BN embodies.

By now embracing the purveyors of these very hated politics into their fold, Bersatu and PKR – and by association Pakatan Harapan – are declaring that the wishes of the people are secondary to their political games.

Lawmakers of honour and the slightest bit of integrity who leave their parties must also give up their parliamentary seats. Those who do not, well, do not even deserve to be members of parliament, whichever party they represent.

In the old Malaysia, there would have been Malaysians who may have been annoyed but had become so used to self-serving politicians to do anything more than murmur.

In the old Malaysia, principles and integrity meant nothing in politics and the people had absolutely no avenue to make their displeasure known to our leaders.

But aren’t we no longer the old Malaysia?

Do we, the voters – some of whom went through great lengths to cast our votes – not believe that we can truly forge a new way?

Dare we not believe that with enough pressure on our parliamentary representatives, we can send a clear message that we will no longer accept unprincipled, compromising leaders?

Malaysians must realise we are responsible for holding our leaders to higher standards. We have to know what is acceptable and what is not, and we must no longer settle for the in-between.

Or are the words of my Singaporean friend, made years before the miraculous defeat of a massively corrupt 60-year-old government, a grim prophesy of our future?

Have we truly lived too long as a people used to compromising, for us to ever change? – November 2, 2018.

* Julia Yeow has been in journalism for two decades and counts it as her first love, despite enjoying brief stints as a lecturer, clown and salad maker. She is a strong believer in social justice, and holds that there is sometimes more truth in the greys, than the blacks and whites.

* 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.