AFTER the disappointment of the new Pakatan Harapan government reneging on its 14th general election manifesto promises, Anwar Ibrahim has to tell us what he plans to do that is different from the actions of the current prime minister.

If he fails to produce a better vision than Dr Mahathir has shown us thus far, there really isn’t much to look forward to, and we might as well let the current PM serve out his term until the next elections.

On the back of PH pre-election promises, the least that we can expect is that Anwar makes it a priority to address 10 important issues that are central to reforming Malaysia. Anwar should tell us if he can and will commit to implementing them:

1. An end to race-based policies

Will Anwar replace race-based policies such as the New Economic Policy with needs-based measures that truly benefit the lower-income and marginalised sectors?

The NEP was supposed to end in 1990, but has become a populist and never-ending policy to win over the Bumiputeras, while benefiting mainly the political elite.

It is common sense that poor rural Malaysians should be assisted based on their needs in their particular economic sectors.

And with more than 95% Bumiputera composition in the civil and armed forces, will the prime minister-designate ensure that recruitment and promotion in these services are based on merit from now on?

Furthermore, does Anwar endorse Dr Mahathir’s plan to privatise Khazanah to benefit Bumiputera interests? And does he agree with the PM’s plan for a new national car?

2. A commitment to equality

All over the world, not just in the West, there are now more countries allowing consensual sex between adults than those that prohibit it. The Indian Supreme Court has just shown the Asian world that it is high time to discard the antiquated and prejudiced British colonial law against the LGBT community.

Thus, apart from racial discrimination, will Anwar commit to implementing legislation to ensure equality for all regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender and sexuality by banning child marriages and decriminalising consensual sex between adults?

3. A progressive and fair economic policy

It is time that Petronas’ revenues are invested in a sovereign wealth fund as a pension fund for future generations and the oil-producing states, instead of being used as a cash cow to supplement the annual budget and to bail out failed businessmen.

We also want a strong and fairly distributed public sector health, education, housing and transport services, including highways that have been privatised at the expense of the public good. Our small and medium enterprises, farmers and fisherfolk need adequate support in order to develop our local food and industrial production.

Will Anwar address the increasingly serious gap in income inequality through progressive taxation on the high-income earners, their wealth and property and effective tax laws to ensure there are no tax loopholes for the super rich, capital allowances and tax holidays for foreign firms? Will a tax be imposed on all international financial transactions and hedge funds?

4. Start the process to bring back elected local councils now

It is unacceptable that elected local government will only be reinstated in three years’ time, according to the current government. The people have waited for more than 50 years for this basic democratic institution to be reinstated, and the decision cannot be put off by unconvincing financial concerns.

Will Anwar begin the process for bringing back elected local government right away?

5. Repeal all detention-without-trial laws

The new PH government has been pussyfooting with all the laws that allow arbitrary declaration of emergency; torture, capital punishment, detention without trial and incommunicado detention including the NSC, Sosma, POTA and POCA. These are laws legislated under the old regime, but remain the same under the new PH government.

The death penalty in Malaysia has still not been abolished nor has there been a moratorium imposed on all executions pending abolition.

Will Anwar abolish the death penalty and impose a moratorium on all executions, and rescind all laws that violate international human rights as soon as possible?

6. Implement the Independent Police Complaints & Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)

The IPCMC and other recommendations of the 2005 Royal Police Commission to ensure transparency and accountability by the police and other enforcement agencies such as the MACC have not been implemented in the 13 years since.

Will Anwar find the political will to bring this about once and for all to stop the deaths in custody, tortures and other abuses by the police and enforcement agencies?

7. Zero tolerance for corruption

Corruption is a key threat to the growth of our nation and its institutions. Fighting corruption and promoting good public governance must be the top priorities of the new government.

Making it mandatory for all public officials to declare all their assets, including those of their spouses and children is crucial to the campaign to prevent corruption in politics.

An asset declaration should cover the public official’s assets and income, the assets and incomes of their spouses and dependent children, including all homes, valuables and financial portfolios, as well as liabilities, such as debts and mortgages; all sources of income from directorships and investments to consulting contracts; and gifts and any potential conflicts of interest such as unpaid employment contracts.

Will Anwar stop the dubious practice of appointing people’s representatives as directors of federal and state corporations, and also ensure that any public official charged with corruption be obligated to step down while their case is pending in the courts?

8. A far-sighted and fair education policy

Education should no longer be politicised as it has been since independence. There should be equal opportunities for all, without any racial discrimination involving enrolment into all schools, including tertiary educational institutions.

Besides the provision of national schools using Bahasa Malaysia, mother tongue schools for the various ethnic groups shoul d be built in education precincts designed with shared facilities to promote integration. Anwar must ensure proportionate financial support and train adequate numbers of teachers for these schools.

Will Anwar build schools according to need by the local communities under the respective elected local councils? Will he ensure the immediate recognition of the Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools’ Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) since it was promised in the Buku Harapan before GE14?

9. Defend workers’ rights and interests

The right of all workers to unionise is a universal right, and it is high time we have a progressive guaranteed living wage for all workers, including foreign workers. Workers must be given the right to association, full employment, retrenchment and pension funds, and workers’ representatives should be part of the decision-making process in enterprises.

Will Anwar ensure a guaranteed minimum wage of RM1,500 as promised in the Buku Harapan, instead of the RM1,050 that the new PH government has just announced?

10. Prioritise Orang Asli rights and sustainable development

It is time that we put the rights and livelihood of the Orang Asli at the top of the national agenda by recognising their rights over the land they have been occupying for centuries, prohibiting logging on Orang Asli land and ensuring all Orang Asli villages have adequate social facilities and services.

The autonomy of the Orang Asli must be respected by ensuring their participation in all policy making involving their interests and introducing policies and laws that comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), especially their right to customary land.

At the same time, all local people must be consulted before any development projects are undertaken, and all permanent forest and wildlife reserves must be gazetted. We want renewable energy projects that do not destroy forests or Orang Asli land.

Will Anwar set up a Ministry for Indigenous Peoples to show his commitment in prioritising the rights and livelihood of the Orang Asli?  

To conclude, we call on Anwar to make a “Port Dickson Declaration” to show us his reform plan for the nation that is different from the present Prime Minister’s. If he cannot do better than the current prime minister, what is the point in having this forced by-election in Port Dickson? It will be a big waste of taxpayers’ money and we might as well settle for the devil we know until the next elections than the angel who can’t promise us a better tomorrow.

* Kua Kia Soong is Suaram adviser.

* 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.