The confidence-supply-reform (CSR) memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri and the Pakatan Harapan leaders on Sept. 10 has given rise to very divided public opinion.

There are those who oppose the CSR MOU on the grounds that the Opposition should not betray their principles and objectives or feared that it would signify the demise of the Opposition.

Neither is true.

Those who have a chance to read the CSR MOU would know that the Opposition parties have neither betrayed their principles and objectives nor would it signify the end of the Opposition in Malaysia.

This is why one of the terms of the CSR MOU is its full disclosure, fully in accordance with the principles of transparency and accountability as we have no secret clauses or understandings apart from the CSR MOU.

We are in politics because we have a vision for Malaysia to become a better country – a world-class great nation. But this requires a long struggle counted in years and even decades as it cannot be achieved overnight.

Fifty years ago, I first raised in Parliament the need for an anti-hopping law. Now, there is a possibility that it would be on the statute books.

For more than 50 years, DAP had advocated equal allocation for all Members of Parliament, whether government or opposition. Now, this is going to be a reality.

Should we forego the opportunity to realise some of our ideas and ideals because of an unique set of political circumstances, especially at a time when the country is faced with an existential threat – the Covid-19 pandemic – and needs the unity of all Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region or politics to fight this common enemy?

There are those who believe that if Ismail Sabri reverses the tide of defeat and wins the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, he will be unbeatable in the15th General Election.

This thinking is wrong for two reasons.

Firstly, when the country is faced with an existential threat which has piled up over two million cases and claimed the lives of nearly 25,000 people – with nearly 5,000 Brought-in-Dead (BID) Covid-19 deaths – all Malaysians must put their differences aside to protect the lives, livelihoods and the national fabrics of Malaysian society.

All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, must have one single and common duty – to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The second reason is that the theory that Ismail Sabri will be unbeatable in the 15th General Election if we help him to win the war against Covid-19 pandemic may not be correct at all.

Winston Churchill was the war hero of Great Britain when he defeated Hitlerite Germany in May 1945, but in the July 1945 General Election in United Kingdom, his Conservative Party was crushed by Labour Party which won a landslide victory with 393 seats against Conservative’s 197 seats.

Who will win the 15th General Election will depend on who will have a vision for a better future for all Malaysians.

We believe we have a better vision for the future for all Malaysians although it would require a long-term political work counted in years and even decades.

One important reason why we have slided so badly in the world league of great nations is our failure to leverage on the talents and abilities of all Malaysians arising from the refusal to accept the Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation as recognised by the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

We must return to the basic principles enshrined in the Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

This is why the 10-member steering committee of the CSR MOU will have a very important role to play to ensure the integrity of Malaysia Agreement 1963 and judicial independence so that Malaysia can achieve its destiny to be a world-class great nation.

(Speech by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a zoom meeting with Sabah and Sarawak DAP leaders on Friday, Sept. 23, 2021 at 10 pm)