Now that diverse views have been expressed about the forthcoming Port Dickson by-election for Anwar Ibrahim to take his rightful place in Parliament, I call on all Malaysian patriots who had made history on May 9 to bring about a peaceful and democratic transition of power in Malaysia to re-unite and join forces to create another history in Port Dickson in preparation for the second phase of a New Malaysia.

The great idea of a New Malaysia cannot be accomplished in one general electoral cycle but will need ten to 20 years to accomplish.

We do not want Malaysia just to take the first step of the first phase of a New Malaysia – when Malaysians whether in the country or the worldwide Diaspora felt proud to be Malaysians for the first time in many years and showed the world to have faith in the democratic process, especially at a time when democracy is undergoing world-wide crisis.

Let us fulfil the vision of Bapa Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman that Malaysia is a “beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world” instead of a “black hole” of rogue democracy, kakistocracy and global kleptocracy in the world.

We must restore the doctrine of separation of powers with a Parliament which is not a creature of the Executive and the Prime Minister to aid and abet the suppression of heinous crimes like the international 1MDB corruption and money-laundering scandal and blind to international indictment of Malaysia as a global kleptocracy.

We must also restore a nationally and internationally respected Judiciary with independence, impartiality and professionalism which is not a creature of the Executive and the Prime Minister – and we have made important beginnings with the appointment of the new Chief Justice, Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, the new Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop and the new Attorney-General
Tommy Thomas.

Let us transform Malaysia from a global kleptocracy into a leading nation of integrity in the world.

Let us restore our economic prowess and national greatness by leveraging on the strength and assets of our diversities of race, religion, language and culture to transform Malaysia into a top world class nation in every field of human endeavor and be an example to the world of an united, harmonious, successful, progressive and prosperous nation.

For the sake of future generations, we must completely the great journey to build a New Malaysia which is top world class in every field of human endeavour and an example to the world of an united, harmonious, plural, just. successful, progressive and prosperous nation.

I recently visited Shanghai and Beijing.

Three to four decades ago, Malaysians visiting China find China more backward than Malaysia virtually in all fields, but today, the reverse has taken place and Malaysians visiting China find Malaysia behind China virtually behind in all fields.

How did Malaysia fall behind allowing one country after another to overtake us or close the gap of development and progress?

The time has come to reset Malaysia’s nation-building polices and directions where Malaysians will stop thinking of themselves merely as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans but to think of themselves as Malaysians!

There is however no guarantee that the vision of a New Malaysia will succeed as there are many in Opposition working for the implosion of Pakatan Harapan, as evidenced by the just-concluded PAS Muktamar heralding a new PAS-UMNO alliance to take the extremist politics of race, religion, fear, hate and lies to an unprecedented level.

If the May 9, 2018 is to successfully herald a New Malaysia, we must ensure not only that the first phase of New Malaysia under the seventh Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is a success, the second phase of a New Malaysia under the eighth Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must equally be a success.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, 17th September 2018)