CIVIL society disappointed in the Pakatan Harapan government’s failure to introduce reform, must form a third political bloc to “retake Malaysia” in the next general election, a forum was told today.

“We must form a coalition of independent candidates under civil society,” said columnist and UCSI University professor Tajuddin Rasdi at the Whither Maruah Malaysia 2.0 forum held in Kuala Lumpur today.

“Such a coalition will work by enlisting parties like PSM, MCA, MIC Gerakan, parties from Sabah and Sarawak and form a big third force. Civil society will meet these leaders soon.

“This coalition will work with the three Pakatan Harapan parties to retake Malaysia in GE15 (15th general election),” Tajuddin added.

Tajuddin also spoke on dealing with increasing inter-ethnic and inter-faith strife that the present government has failed to address.  

“We must form a civil society group that will answer any attack on any race, religion or minority group. We must not let any race, religious or minority groups respond to attacks in isolation. We must be of once voice.

“We must send our own wakil rakyat. We must find our own candidates as wakil rakyat to replace any traitorous party and MPs who abandon the rakyat’s hopes and aspirations.”

Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, academician Lim Teck Ghee, former MP Tawfik Tun Ismail, MCA vice-president Senator Ti Lian Ker, Bar Council Orang Asli committee chairman Siti Kasim, columnist Johan Arriffin Samad and PKR Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How were present at the forum.

Siti, meanwhile, blasted the government for its foot-dragging over reforms.

She said the leaders lacked the guts to introduce changes because they were thinking about their political positions and whether they would be re-elected.

“Do not rely on politicians for change. The only way to change is through the movement of the rakyat. It doesn’t matter whatever race, we are the ones who have to make that change.

“We need a strong pressure group to pressure our government in the direction we want our country to go,” she said, adding that the NGO she co-founded, the Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity Foundation (Maju), is recruiting.

“We are targeting 100,000 members. Imagine what we can do if we have a million,” she added. – October 25, 2019.