Malaysians saved Malaysia and made history on May 9, 2018, giving Malaysians a second chance to reset nation-building policies so that Malaysia will not become a failed and rogue state, on top of being a kakistocracy and global kleptocracy.
A New Malaysia cannot be accomplished in a hundred days or in six months, but will take a decade of two. All Malaysians must develop a Big Picture and Long-term Vision perspectives.
An important start for the building of a New Malaysia was made on May 9, 2018 when we showed the world, at a time when democracy as a system of government was facing crisis of confidence worldwide, that parliamentary democracy is still the best among the worst systems of government.
We must continue the quest to become a top world-class nation by leveraging on the values and assets of the diverse races, religions, languages, cultures and civilizations which meet in confluence in Malaysia.
Let us show the world that we can:
· Transform Malaysia from a global kleptocracy into a leading nation of integrity.
· Restore democracy and doctrine of separation of powers among the Executuive, Parliament and the Judiciary;
· Enact far-reaching law reforms, although the repeal of Anti-Fake Acts was blocked and sabotaged by the Barisan National-controlled Senate.
· Efffect far-reaching parliamentary reforms to end the Malaysian Parliament from becoming the joke of world Parliaments as a 1MDB Parliament which banned discussion of the 1MDB scandal.
· Develop Malaysia into a “tiger economy” after the massive problems of the “black hole” of a trillion-ringgit government debt and a global kleptocracy had been addressed.
· Restore primary and secondary schools as well as universities as leading world educational institutions of their kind to establish Malaysia as among the world’s top-tier nations in education.
· Fulfill the goal as enunciated by Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman of Malaysia as “a beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world”.
· Build a New Malaysia of greater national unity, integrity, democracy, rule of law, excellence, justice and prosperity.
The recent Port Dickson by-election on 13th October 201 is as history-making as the 14th General Election result of May 9, 2018.
Despite a low voter turn-out of 58.3%, Anwar secured 31,016 votes or a 23,560-vote majority, which eclipsed that of the PKR’s Danyal Balagopal Abdullah who won the seat in the 14th general election by a margin of 17,710 votes with a voter turnout of 83%.
In winning 71.3% of 58.3% turnout of 75,770 votes, or 44,136 votes cast in the by-election, Anwar has probably set the record for the highest popular vote for the lowest voter-turn out.
In fact, Anwar’s 71.3% of the popular votes cast is higher than that of the former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who only secured 62% of the popular votes cast in Pekan parliamentary constituency, or PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, who secured only 59.3% of the popular votes cast in Marang, or UMNO President Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi who secured only 51.4% of the popular votes cast in Bagan Datuk or the sole MCA MP and MCA President-aspirant Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who secured only 43.98% of the votes cast in the Ayer Hitam parliamentary constituency in the 14th General Election.
The Port Dickson by-election results is a very promising signpost for Malaysia’s future as it showed that Pakatan Harapan has been able to maintain two goals which are significant not only to the continued success of Pakatan Harapan but the building of a New Malaysia – the ability to sustain and maintain the support of the non-Malay voters and the ability to win more Malay electoral support with the passage of time.
It is a confirmation of my theory that the political extremists and opportunists in UMNO and PAS who fall back on the toxic and vicious politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies are fighting a losing battle in an information era in plural Malaysia.
Polls analysis by Merdeka Centre have estimated that some 95% of the Chinese and 70-75% of the Indian voters voted for Pakatan Harapan and a New Malaysia, while only 25 – 30% of the Malays voted for Pakatan Harapan and a New Malaysia.
I do not believe that the Malay voters who voted for UMNO or PAS in the 14th General Election wanted a global kleptocracy, a sham democracy or a rogue state.
I believe that they would have supported the Vision of a New Malaysia if they realise that Pakatan Harapan stands for an end to corruption, repression and injustices, and not exploitation or marginalisation of any race or religion, in particular Malays as well as Islam.
Last month, I visited four Australian cities – Perth, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne – and four New Zealand cities – Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland.
It is no exaggeration that never before have Malaysians outside the country have felt so proud as Malaysians as on May 9, 2018 – as proud as their countrymen and women in Malaysia – at the peaceful and democratic transition of power first time in six decades.
Malaysians overseas in the worldwide Malaysian Diaspora cared as much as Malaysians at home whether people’s power will finally prevail to bring about a better Malaysia which is not trapped in the trajectory towards a failed state, rogue democracy, kakistocracy and global kleptocracy.
Malaysians must not waste the “second chance” to fulfill our national destiny to be a great nation and all Malaysians must participate and claim ownerhsip in this great task to build a New Malaysia.
This is because it is unlikely that Malaysia will have a third chance to reset nation-building policies and Save Malaysia,if this second chance to to build a New Malaysia with national unity and restore democracy, integrity and justice is wasted and allowed to fail as a result of the return and resurgence of the politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies.
(Speech by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at the dinner of Rotary Club Kuala Lumpur Diraja “Modern Malaysia – the Road Ahead” at Kuala Lumpur Tower on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at 7 pm)