by Foong Wai Fong
The events in the next couple of weeks, leading to whether Anwar will contest a by-election will demonstrate to the People of Malaysia whether they have indeed make the right choice, by voting in the Opposition. The People are troubled by these post-election developments.
A message to the OPPOSITION:
1. Many people voted you in not because how good you were or will be, but more they just wanted to throw out the other guy, deny the 2/3 majority given to the ruling coalition.
2. If you walk your talk, you MUST NEVER do what the other guy has been doing in the past decades.
The electorate wishes to see REAL Change, sincerity and integrity; not making deals and bargains wrapped in exchange of cabinet positions for alliance — this makes the OPP no different from the incumbent ruling class. Any mistakes on the part of the OPP in strategy will bring serious backlash, that mistake has the high risk of throwing Malaysia into a state of chaos and instability. This is SERIOUS matter.
On the other hand, if the OPP and Anwar Ibrahim can be a little patient, taking things one step at a time, act with integrity and sincerity, THIS IS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY. Any tactic that involves trading of bargains of power would diminish all hope that we are entering a new era. For we believe any of those MPs or state assembly members out there who cross over because they did not get the so-called “rewards” in position would do no good for the OPP. All cabinet and government positions are positions to provide service, not positions for reward of winning the election! It serves the OPP well to remember that.
Does the people of Malaysia has the assurance with PAS and DAP balancing the ambition of Anwar and PKR?
Can Anwar rise to be a true leader for all Malaysia, and that his present struggle is a fulfilment of his long time political vision to make Malaysia truly multiracial and progressive, not that he is getting even with UMNO. By and large it was not the BN or UMNO that wrong him, it was Dr Mahathir who did.
The people of Malaysia ought to pray and work to see a reformed BN — in spite of the difficulties within the ruling coalition to change. We are striving to have two strong parties; only in having credible choices could the people’s wellbeing be safeguarded. BN would need to act swiftly to reinvent and prove itself; much time and opportunity has been wasted, for example naming the new cabinet presents real opportunity; but BN misses that.
The People of Malaysia wishes to see gradual change; the OPP settles in and build its governing team. Many of the candidates in the OPP do not have the credentials to be government leaders; they were put together and got voted in by the wave for change; this these new YBs must know. They must now accelerate their learning and find out exactly what is expected of them and rise up to the occasion. Anwar must further consolidates its power and assure the people of his intentions; at the same time give BN time to change; the next election would present people with the real choice. If the current OPP does get to form the government; it would be very credible because people voted them in to form the government. For this election; by and large, the People of Malaysia only wanted to deny BN its 2/3 majority; not all the way to have the OPP running the country yet. Events have its own turn; the people however, while willing to give the OPP a chance to govern 5 states, but are still tentative in its feelings about the outcome.
All eyes are on the OPP government in the state. Waiting for one more term may be the right thing to do before going for the Federal Government.
There is real opportunity here for Anwar Ibrahim. If he succeeds to bring about democractic change to Malaysia in an honest, clean and credible way; he would go down in world history as a national leader who could go beyond racialism to embrace the larger interest. If Anwar does that, the People of Malaysia will nominate him for the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE — for setting the world on the right track and for bringing hope to all societies plagued by racial struggle; putting Anwar Ibrahim in the company of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and the like. This would rekindle the fire for truth and ideals; key values to building a sustainable world.
#1 by katdog on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 12:28 am
Easy solution: Have by elections if you crossover. Let the people decide if they support the candidate crossing over or they want to continue supporting another candidate from BN.
#2 by undergrad2 on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 12:58 am
Jeffrey,
If the case you referred to was won on the basis of the constitutional freedom of association, what of the freedom of speech of the constituents who voted you in to represent them (at any level – be it as an MP or a Minister)? You having received your mandate and then subsequently crossing over to another party betrays the interest of your constituents who have used the ballot box to speak their minds for them.
Is it not an abuse of the political process??
#3 by undergrad2 on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 1:04 am
It involves the balancing of two types of freedom i.e. the freedom of association and the freedom of speech. Because it is also an abuse of the political process, and because of the representative capacity of the MP or State Assemblyman, the constituents should not have their freedom of speech denied.
#4 by HB Lim on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 2:18 am
Different people vote for a particular party for different reasons.
We are assuming that the SUPP supporters vote for expediency or development support and not on high principles and hence it would not amount to betrayal of their mandate if the same expediency or development support can be given by the party their chosen representative later hopped to but that whole argument is based on and hangs precariously on the assumption that the voters are more practical-minded than principle-guided.
For all we know, they may be endorsing the BN’s form or model of power sharing and that is voting based on principles and not on some narrow expediency.
I still think that to have a legitimacy which cannot be questioned, the BR should encourage the MP intending to abandon the BN to quit the BN as well as the seat and participate in a by-election.
But politics being politics, it would be understandable that at times principle must be sacrificed at the altar of expediency. But at this time when the whole thrust of BR’s strategy to defeat the BN is the denunciation of the latter’s corruption, trickery, fraud and immorality, it would be high hypocrisy on the part of the former to engage in such expediency bordering on ‘fraud’. The legitimacy just gained by the BR would very quickly dissipate in the eyes of the People and the accusation that the BR is as power-hungry would be validated.
Negative perceptions once formed are hard to erase. The back-door strategy to gain power would backfire. Many more hypocritical decisions and actions would become necessary to stay in power obtained in questionable ways; you get caught in the vicious cycle.
While the BN can be mired in hypocrisy and yet manage to cling on to power for decades, with the advent of knowledge and communication technology, the BR practising the same kind of hypocrisy may not not have that kind of luxury and may not even survive the next general election.
#5 by Jeffrey on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 7:04 am
Gentlemen,
At level of principles, I guess it will be hard to defend party hopping and cross overs. Undergrad’s hypothetical poser of which is more important – constituents’ rights to freedom of speech or the candidate’s right to freedom of association – is a difficult question for which I do not know any local court has been asked to balance and adjudicate upon. Even PAS’s. Kelantan MB Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat supported Zaid’s move, if you believe MSM (NST)’s report – “I agree,” said Nik Aziz, “elected representatives should not disappoint the people who had voted for them. Party-hopping is not the work of politicians but those who makan upah (accept money).” Interestingly PAS’s spiritual advisor’s opinion not exactly shared by its president Hadi Awang. From principles perspective, it is right to say people intending to cross should quit the BN as well as the seat and participate in a by-election.
It is however another argument if you proceed on realpolitik principles (political expedience as HB Lim terms it) that our Anwar may be taking.
Take for example what Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr S. Vijayaratnam said, “Switching camps amounts to a betrayal of the people’s confidence. If they do so, a by-election must be held.”
A lot of Opposition supporters (Lim Kam Put for example) just won’t buy such argument. The Gerakan did not talk on these lines before when BN induced cross overs in the past from the Opposition’s side and hence has now forfeited its claim to high principles of democratic fair play at this juncture when it is vulnerable. What is sauce for goose is sauce for gander, Opposition sympathizers would say.
HB Lim’s point – that just because BN stooped to doing it in the past is no justification for BR holding higher claims to democratic best practices to emulate quid pro quo – will be balanced against what is really on the ground. By that I mean is there really betrayal of constituents in East Malaysia context in real practical terms?
HB Lim said, “we are assuming that the SUPP supporters vote for expediency or development support and not on high principles…. For all we know, they may be endorsing the BN’s form or model of power sharing and that is voting based on principles and not on some narrow expediency”.
But is the assumption wide off the mark looking at real situation on the ground??? Do you really believe that looking at their record of crossovers in past??? Well that’s the candidates but talking of constituents, and their rights to freedom of speech, I have been told the BN in past could (esp in less developed parts of Sarawak accessible by river), afford giving them boats or engines, televisions and other material benefits etc to secure votes. I stand corrected if this is wrong.
And even if as HB Lim said, “for all we know, they may be endorsing the BN’s form or model of power sharing” (at the time of polls), do they still endorse that power of sharing representatives elected was appointed to federal cabinet position, as appears to be the main grouse at this moment? As I said, the “kataks’ who may be citing scripture for their own cause, now argue that it is the BN that has post election reneged, betrayed their constituents’ legitimate expectations, and to stay on represents greater betrayal.
What is the DAP’s position on Zaid’s proposed anti party hopping bill? We have yet to hear it.
#6 by Jeffrey on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 7:10 am
Sorry for typo ommision in 2nd para from bottom : it should be “…do they still endorse that power of sharing WHEN NONE of THEIR representives was appointed to federal cabinet position, as appears to be the main grouse at this moment?…”
#7 by LadyGodiva on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 8:36 am
“…Lim Kam Put for example just won’t buy such argument.”
Don’t mind limkamput. What do you expect from somebody whose highest level of education is the Kg. Attap type!
#8 by LadyGodiva on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 10:02 am
“As can be seen from these arguments, a key question is whether parties or individuals considered to be the central elements of the political system.
Once again, the answer to this question is complex.”
http://mad-science-party.conferencecallarticles.com/politician-overboard-jumping-the-party-ship-134801
#9 by Jeffrey on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 11:30 am
Thanks LadyGodiva for the link. Wow it is a thesis, indeed the question is complex. As always it is what considerations weigh more when one juggles between (a) one’s own own self interest,(b) the party’s or coalition’s interest (these may be separate) and (c) consciences and principles in balance.
#10 by limkamput on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 12:15 pm
Ladygorilla @ pervert,
Who care about principles – people talk about it only. Just like all the political parties now talking about being non-racial. But who is not racists. Undergrad2 just taught me a good lesson about racism a couple of nights earlier. Real politics ok, real politics. But of course I don’t expect a pua tang sai educated person like you to understand and to reconcile what is at sake. Sometimes we have to be evil to be good. This is real. As I said earlier, undergrad2 is good to a judge (certainly not a politician), and for you ladygorilla, you should be cleaning all the clogged drains in Penang. Have you seem any change yet in Penang? Or are they still talking about what they want to do? You please make sure they stop talking and start doing.
#11 by limkamput on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 1:11 pm
Jeffrey, before election, i was opposition supporter. After election, i support whoever make more sense to me.
#12 by lakilompat on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 2:19 pm
To limkamput, change is not easy, the opposition just come into power, the municipal still have alot of bad eggs, lazy eggs, rotten eggs, and hard to find those good eggs that are educated and can fully undestand the benefit of change.
All the Penangites has witnessed the Komtar rally by some foolish wild monkeys of UMNO members. These group of mamak or UMNO members are still reluctant to change as they don’t feel comfortable at all. Therefore, the new opposition government need to work hard to promote those who want change within the municipal, and government servants and try to sack those who fail to understand the benefit of change. Well, Opposition need more soldiers to implement such change, i believe within a year or two nothing much can be implemented. New blood need to be rejuvenated into the already tiring and bad one.
#13 by Jeffrey on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 3:14 pm
The way to stop crossover is collect in advance the undated letter of resignation of the candidate to resign as Member of Parliament, so that the moment he crosses, he is treated as having resigned with his resignation leter dated and given effect thereby forcing a by-election. :)
#14 by LadyGodiva on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 5:54 pm
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2002-03/03RP04.pdf
JUMPING SHIP
This article is meant for intelligent readers like yourself who reads and thinks for himself. Of course, I strongly advise limkamput not to exert himself mentally. He might feel compelled to look for a sampan, row it to the open sea and then jump!
#15 by pohwatchdog on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 10:23 pm
Crossover shouldn’t be accepted coz unprinciple, lying and might stab at you anytime. That is unhealthy politic and not to be encouraged. Well… we are watching DAP-PKR-PAS as government in state level and not good at issue statement. DAP-PKR-PAS is equal to BARISAN NASIONAL. Work to make Malaysia a better place for us. Not enrich themselves
#16 by limkamput on Monday, 24 March 2008 - 11:31 pm
Jeffrey says: The way to stop crossover is collect in advance the undated letter of resignation of the candidate to resign as Member of Parliament, so that the moment he crosses, he is treated as having resigned with his resignation leter dated and given effect thereby forcing a by-election.
If I am not mistaken, I thought this too has been rendered invalid before. But I am not sure. May be you should let your wannabe researcher to check it out. After, he can’t think very much, so cut and paste shouldn’t be too taxing for him.
#17 by Toyol on Tuesday, 25 March 2008 - 2:03 pm
Lets face it. BN will never change. The opposition ruled states will over the course of the next years find a bottomless pit of wrong doings and scandals which will make the Harry Potter series look like a Enid Blyton story!!!
lets work together again and the next elections BN will be irrelevant.
#18 by citizen86 on Sunday, 30 March 2008 - 5:46 pm
We all should unite and first bring about change to the country lets all put aside our differences and make a change , we have a louder voice in parliament now lets work together and develop this country and bring about solutions to the problems faced by ppl then by the 13th general election i hope barisan rakyat overthrow not bn but umno because ultimately umno is in power mca mic ppp n all the other parties are just slaves who are told what and what not to do by the mighty umno gang
#19 by boobear on Sunday, 20 April 2008 - 12:22 am
Sometimes we are influenced by what we read… and that was precisely what the MSP (Main stream press) were portraying, post Mar 8, 2008.
But since then, with the “sms-induced” rallies, “big” talks, challenges and counter-challenges, the MSP have wised up and taken the stance on NOT FLAMING the EMBERS of DISCONTENT especially of racial in nature.
Then there’s the matter of BN-controlled Federal Ministers that adopt a “hero”/”heroine” attitude to champion their cause to their political masters and “kuncu-kuncu” by ACTING TOUGH with the PR-controlled states.
ALL THIS EMPHASIZES THE NEED>>> ULTIMATELY OF A TOTAL PRakyat controlled Govt, from Federal to States to really offer a SINCERE effort that is WORKABLE…
Otherwise the “new” opposition will twist and turn what PRakyat comes up with.
#20 by lakilompat on Monday, 21 April 2008 - 4:06 pm
PR is a silence dragon bidding its time.
#21 by danialalan on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 7:16 pm
Whatever it is,the new PR govt must ensure that no one race in this country is being discriminated against all in the name of ‘affirmative action’ !
#22 by citizenwatch on Sunday, 15 June 2008 - 7:18 pm
Anwar and PR are using the strategies of ‘ambush’ and ‘surprise’ to leave BN in ‘shock and awe’. So folks, don’t be surprised if the cross-overs happen very much earlier than 16 Sept. It may even happen in the upcoming Parliamentary session on 23 June!
#23 by chiakehleong on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 12:01 pm
Tun M gotta be real regret for not hanging him few years back then.
#24 by barble on Monday, 23 June 2008 - 11:37 am
when PKR and DAP coalition government comes into power, i am hoping the first thing they do is swipe clean of all the useless old cabinet ministers, no family MPs such as brothers or father and son or even mother daughter as MPs in the cabinet. because if this happens then the coalition government are no different than the current one and a lot of self interest will take place once again. PKR and DAP must also in sure that POLITICIANS can never be BUSINESSMEN too. if they are politicians stick to politics and if they are businessmen stick to just doing business, not trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone! this evidently will decrease and subsequently stop graft in this country. secondly, STOP CRIME! the increase in crime in this country is alarmingly high and people don’t feel safe to go out even to pump petrol at night alone. the judiciary system in our country must be changed and allow public people to be more involve like doing jury duties, then there would be fairness in sentencing cases. not judges doing whatever the hell they like and picking within themselves to take cases that brings financial benefits from especially politicians. move back OLD generation of POLITICIANS and give the NEW generation the chance to lead this country into a better future!!!