On this day three year ago, i.e. 9th May 2018, Malaysians astounded the world with the first democratic and peaceful transition of power in six decades.
The Economist, in its edition dated Dec.18, 2018, named Malaysia in a three-nation finals list in its “ovation country of the year 2018” – for Malaysian voters who “fired a Prime Minister who could not adequately explain why there was US$700 million in his bank account”.
But a year after the historic date of May 9, 2018, the Economist expressed its disappointment with the pace of reform and warned: “If PH does not get the economy going, it may wind up in opposition for a few years; if it does not refurbish Malaysia’s democracy, it may be out of office for a generation.”
At the Malaysian Economic Symposium “Malaysian Future: Present and Future” in Parliament on 26th July 2019, I called for a major review of Pakatan Harapan promises of a New Malaysia and the 14th General Election Pakatan Harapan Manifesto.
I said PH should be frank with the people and admit where it had promised the impossible, for Malaysians would appreciate PH frankness, leaving PH support and confidence largely intact.
I suggested that efforts must be made to convince our core supporters that the trajectory towards a New Malaysia is on track, and that the five pillar-promises towards the building of a New Malaysia, as contained in the 14GE Pakatan Harapan election manifesto remain the PH lodestar and guiding principle, viz:
· Reduce the people’s burden;
· Institutional and political reforms;
· Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth;
· Return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963; and
· Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.
But before PH could complete a major review of PH Manifesto, the Sheraton Move conspiracy toppled the 22-month Pakatan Harapan Government at the end of February 2020 and ushered in a backdoor, undemocratic, incompetent and illegitimate government under the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
In his first public address as eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhyiddin asked Malaysians to give his government a chance to prove itself.
In the speech broadcast over national television, Muhyiddin said:
“I am a prime minister for all Malaysians from Perlis to Sabah. Whatever race or ethnicity, I am your Prime Minister. Give me a chance to use my 40 years of experience in politics and government to steer Malaysia to glory.”
Firstly, Muhyiddin did not state that he was Malaysian first and Malay second.
Secondly, his more than a year as Prime Minister did not “steer Malaysia to glory” but to a new infamy, as illustrated by the Indonesian Health Ministry citing Malaysia and India as a cautionary tale in urging its citizens to stay home during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays and to take precautions against Covid-19 infection.
The warning comes as the pandemic situation stabilises in Indonesia, while both Malaysia and India face a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The Indonesian Health Ministry said: “Learn from India and Malaysia, for surely we don’t want Indonesia to face the same problem.”
Muhyiddin has not honoured his undertaking to appoint a Cabinet of individuals who are clean, with integrity and of calibre and to prioritise efforts to increase integrity and good governance.l
Otherwise, the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2020 would not have reversed Malaysia TI CPI 2019 – Malaysia’s best TI CPI performance in 25 years – falling from 53 points to 51 points, resulting in six- point fall in ranking from No. 51 to 57 or Malaysia would not have slid down 18 points in the RSF’s 2021 press freedom index to 119, compared to Malaysia’s best Press Freedom Index the previous year when it was ranked 101.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has exposed Muyhiddin as the worst Prime Minister with the worst government in Malaysia in 63 years, taking Malaysia towards a kakistocracy.
For the national interest, Muhyiddin should step down to give way to Anwar Ibrahim as the ninth Prime Minister to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, save Malaysia from being a mini-India in the pandemic as well as to fulfil its aspiration to be a world-class great nation.
But the question all Malaysians must wrestle with from today, the third anniversary of the 14th General Election, is whether Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, can again shake the world as we did on this day three years ago to demonstrate that the hopes of a New Malaysia, despite its setbacks of the Sheraton Move conspiracy, can be fulfilled in the 15th General Election!
(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, May 9, 2021)