SABM, a Malaysian diaspora community in Australia, shares the disappointment and angst of the rakyat back home with the political uncertainty now gripping the nation. 

Like us, the Malaysian diaspora around the world went to great lengths to ensure we were able to cast a vote in the last election, relying on complete strangers to race our postal votes across continents simply to ensure our votes counted – a campaign that came to be known as the “GE14 
Amazing Race”. 

Having done all of that, we are now left feeling swindled by those we voted for. The rakyat through the ballot box in GE14 put their faith in Pakatan Harapan to break free of the shackles of the kleptocratic BN regime and to lead the country forward to a fairer, brighter future. Alas, our trust in some components of PH coalition has been misplaced and a democratically elected and functioning government has been brought to grief. It’s a blatant betrayal. 

The political shenanigans have been exposed. Those who have pursued naked ambition at the expense of the interests of the rakyat should pay the price for their folly. The May 9 mandate for reforms should not be compromised for the ambitions of a few. 

It’s time to put an immediate end to this crisis. The nation cannot afford it. The urgency should not be understated – the rest of the world is bracing for a potentially sharp global economic downturn from external shocks. A new coalition is inevitable but the promises spelled out in the PH manifesto made to the rakyat must be honoured. We expect nothing less. – February 29, 2020.

*Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia in Australia is a group of like-minded individuals of Malaysian origin based in Australia who advocate for enhanced governance in Malaysia.

* 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.