The greatest tribute that the Federal Cabinet could pay to the Adenan Satem legacy is to uphold both the word and spirit of the Malaysian Constitution, the Malaysian Agreement 1963 and the Rukunegara principles of an incorruptible, secular and harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious nation.

I call on the Cabinet at its meeting next Wednesday to take concrete steps to uphold both the word and spirit of the Malaysian Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Rukunegara principles to establish an incorruptible, secular and harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious nation, for it is precisely because we have deviated from the bedrock principles enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Rukunegara that the country has lost its way and entrapped in a swamp of political, economic and nation-building scandals.

Instead of building greater unity among the diverse races, religions, languages and cultures which have made Malaysia their home, we have allowed irresponsible and reckless people to create even greater disunity by aggravating racial and religious polarisation in the country.

The Cabinet can give effect to the Adenan legacy by returning to the founding nation-building principles of establishing a secular and harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysia by endorsing the Pensiangan Formula, a creative and constructive response to address the political and constitutional stalemate created by PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill motion.

The Pensiangan Formula, which is a reaffirmation of the nation-building principles laid down in the Malaysian Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Rukunegara, will involve the establishment of an all-party Parliamentary Select Committee to study and make proposals as to how to strengthen inter-religious relations in the country which had come under great stress and strains, as well as to study the proposal made by Hadi in his private member’s bill.

The Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Mustapha Mohamad said that Adenan had raised the bar when it came to integrity and governance.

This is all the more reason why the Cabinet next Wednesday should consider how it could give effect to the Adenan legacy on integrity and governance, as Malaysia is in a grave crisis over both issues.

Transparency International has announced that it will release its Corruption Perception Index 2016 on 25th January. I dread what is in store for Malaysia in the TI CPI 2016 and hope that Malaysia’s ranking and score will not plunge to the lowest level in the 22-year series of TI CPI.

(Speech at the Perak DAP leadership Retreat at Brinchang on Friday, 13th January 2017 at 9 am)