NO one expected it to be all smooth sailing for a coalition in federal power for the first time, but some of Pakatan Harapan’s gaffes in its first 100 days in power were surprising nevertheless, given its positions on inclusiveness and transparency that it preached as the opposition.

The missteps, however, can be valuable lessons as PH works to define its administration while fending off attacks from Barisan Nasional, which it ousted on May 9.

Of the 28 members in the PH cabinet, only two, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, have previously held cabinet positions, and the inexperience of some first-time ministers has shown.

Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran was forced to apologise after initial denials and claims of being misquoted over remarks made to a crowd of Indians, where he allegedly referred to Malays as “pendatang” (immigrants).

A month earlier, in June, he walked back on his announcement that foreign cooks will be banned from working in Malaysia, drawing outcry from local restaurateurs, who said they would be unable to find staff.

The new youth and sports minister’s handling of a staffer, Numan Afifi Saadan, who had organised a gay Pride event during Ramadan last year, was also a blemish on Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who disavowed his special officer despite the former’s name being placed on the ministry’s website.

Numan then stepped down due to the abuse he received from critics who said a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activist should not hold a government position.

Syed Saddiq has also been criticised on social media over a ministry press statement on the participation of the U23 football team in the Asian Games this year for spelling and grammatical errors, earning ridicule from the public.

The impact of poorly worded or hasty statements on sensitive issues also tested the new government, such as the marriage of an 11-year-old to a 41-year-old Kelantan man.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail first said the marriage was illegal but followed this with another statement that it was valid under Islamic law, and yet another that more evidence was needed to build a case against the marriage.

All the while, children’s rights groups and civil society were calling for an “immediate ban, no excuses” on child marriages and Wan Azizah became the target of criticism.

The case emerged in early July and it was a nearly a month later, on August 5, that the ministry issued a statement categorically objecting to child marriages and more so involving an adult partner.

A good outcome, however, is that debate on the issue has moved Selangor to change laws to raise the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18. The Perak menteri besar, meanwhile has expressed personal support for it.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry that Wan Azizah heads has also scored points for setting up a platform for women staff members who had been sexually harassed by a public hospital doctor to report their experience. It has also approved a new sexual harassment course for government heads of department.

PH will likely continue to fight fire from LGBT activists and conservative Muslims in the fallout over the removal of portraits of two activists from a photography exhibition on patriotism.

Since then, statements by ministers or deputy ministers, such as asking transgender people to use toilets meant for disabled persons, or trying to explain PH’s sympathy for LGBT people while not promoting or endorsing their lifestyle, have only made the subject more polarising.

As it is, PH has come under frequent attack by BN supporters and PAS conservatives for promoting “liberalism” at the expense of Islam. In its election manifesto, it did not specifically touch on the rights of sexual minorities but promised no discrimination for all Malaysians, regardless of background.

A good reminder to the new government to came from civil society on Wednesday at an event to evaluate PH’s first 100 days in power.

Activist and academic Gayathry Venkiteswaran reminded PH to stop behaving like “cleaners” and to start acting like reformers to implement the changes promised.

Their blunders may then provide fewer talking points to critics and convince Malaysians that they have what it takes to implement the changes they have long talked about. – August 16, 2018.