GRASSROOTS leaders and supporters of Pakatan Harapan (PH) are increasingly convinced that the only way for the newly formed coalition to move forward and win the confidence of Malaysians is for the older generation of politicians to step aside for its promising – and younger – crop of leaders.

For almost three decades, the Malaysian political scene has been synonymous with the manoeuvrings and battles of veteran leaders, such as former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, PKR president and opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Opposition supporters are now saying that PH needs to make a clean break from its past of messy political relationships where most of its member parties were once bitter rivals, by letting the younger generation of leaders take charge and play bigger roles in the coalition.

“I feel that we need to learn from the experience of political parties in other countries which have successfully fielded new and younger leaders,” said Yusmadi Yusoff, former MP for Balik Pulau.

During PH gatherings throughout the Hari Raya season, grassroots leaders and supporters were throwing names like Mohamed Azmin Ali and Nurul Izzah Anwar from PKR; Mukhriz Mahathir and Syed Sadiq from Bersatu; Salahuddin Ayub and Faiz Fadzil from Amanah; as well as Tony Pua and Liew Chin Tong from DAP as possible candidates to lead the country.

Yusmadi said the success of the new Aam Aadmi Party, which won 67 out of 70 seats in New Delhi, India, under the leadership of 50-year-old Arvind Kejriwal, was a good model for Malaysia’s opposition.

He also cited the success of 39-year-old French president Emmanuel Macron’s new party En Marche!, which won a landslide victory in parliament last month despite fielding relative unknowns.

“These need to be made as lessons for Pakatan Harapan that the people want new, fresh faces which will bring them new hope,” he said.

To achieve this, the coalition’s veteran leaders must be willing to make way for the new political personalities without historical baggage to lead the country.

But because of a leadership dispute, the Pakatan Harapan presidential council has yet to finalise its formal structure.

As a result, PH has not registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) as a new political coalition.

Yusmadi said if younger politicians are named as ministerial candidates if PH wins the next general election, the coalition will have a stronger chance of winning the confidence and support of voters. The older leaders should continue to serve as advisers.

“They can guide and advise, but the main movers should be the young personalities.”

Universiti Malaya law professor Dr Azmi Sharom said PH’s insistence on maintaining Anwar and Dr Mahathir as leaders-in-waiting was sending a message to voters that there are no other qualified candidates among the leadership line-up.

“Initially, they wanted Anwar, but he can’t because he’s in jail. Now, it’s Dr Mahathir, but he also has baggage.

“Aren’t there any other people in these four parties? It surely looks that way because their attitude shows that they are too tied up with individuals, and not the principles of the party,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

According to Azmi, who is also a social activist, the opposition needs to stop being personality-driven, and to move beyond individual parties when it comes to selecting a leader.

“They need to bring up leaders from any party who can be received by the people, because they will eventually be sharing power among these four parties,” he said.

The call for younger politicians to be allowed to take charge and lead is also echoed within the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, where veteran leaders are notorious for their long shelf lives.

“Give us (youth) a chance to compete peacefully and in a fair fight,” Umno Youth chief and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaludin said recently.

 “Voters want to see our values, commitment and efficiency. This is modern politics, and even if the voters don’t need it, we still do,” he said.

 Blogger and political commentator Mohd Sayuti Omar supported the notion of veteran politicians making way for the younger generation to rise up in their party ranks, especially within the ruling coalition.

“Khairy should ask Prime Minister Najib Razak to retire earlier, because even though he is younger than Dr Mahathir, Najib is more ‘senior’ than Dr Mahathir when it comes to scandals.

“His scandal is larger and, in fact, known all over the world, especially 1MDB,” said Sayuti, referring to the state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

He said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang also ought to retire, especially in the light of his frail health.

“Hadi should also retire and give the younger ones, including his deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, the chance to lead PAS,” Sayuti told The Malaysian Insight. – July 12, 2017.