ABRAHAM Lincoln once gave an address on June 16, 1858, to which he said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. In more recent context, that speech resembles the situation Malaysia Parliament is currently in.
The division between the Government and Opposition is an obvious one but the fracture between the ruling coalition now is even more apparent and fragile. The situation now is worlds apart from two decades ago when the country was more stable.
However, there is a new invisible enemy that joined in the mix, creating havoc and disaster in the lives of millions of Malaysians.
With the question of who has the majority of votes have finally settled and the appointment of our ninth Prime Minister Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been ceremoniously carried, it is time to put aside our political differences and work together in settling the most pertinent issue that has plagued the nation since start of 2020.
No one would have imagined that post-GE14, we would have not only a second but a third Government in a span of three years and the GE15 is not that far away.
Malaysians are tired and furious with our politicians, irrespective of PN, BN, PH or the next two or three letter abbreviations.
The rakyat want answers and they need solutions for this pandemic that has taken the lives of over 13 thousand people and the livelihood of millions. To survive, we need to move forward and be in line with the current wants and needs.
In the inaugural speech delivered by Malaysia’s ninth Prime Minister, he set the tone to call for Pakatan Harapan to come together and work as a family to combat the issues faced by the rakyat.
He is right to say that the government cannot stand alone to overcome this global crisis. The PM should allow without conditioning for a bi-partisan government appointment or at least offer the opposition leader a position that is equivalent to a minister in order to assist in governmental matters as a voice of conscience or check and balance.
Parliamentary select committees are small groups of MPs or members of the House of Lords that are set up to investigate a specific issue in detail or to perform a specific scrutinous role.
They may call in officials and experts for questioning and can enquire for information from the Government. This is one of the ways to bring back parliamentary democracy. None of the appointments should be with conditions.
As the saying goes, “two heads are better than one”. The PM can leverage on the MPs from both sides to help with the National Recovery Plan. This notion was mooted by the outgoing PM as a method of garnering support so that he can remain as PM.
Needless to say, the rakyat is hoping for a temporary pause on this dance of political musical chairs until the upcoming GE15 and so that the government can properly restore the country’s confidence and lend a hand to those whose lives and livelihood were affected.
There are certain political seniors who would say that ‘it is easier said than done’. But they have to remember, ‘When there is a will, there is a way’. There is ample time for a political battle royale to take place once the country overcomes this global pandemic.
Right now, the country is in desperate need of political maturity in these challenging times and once that is achieved, we will win as a country.
It is time for our leaders to instil confidence in the political system. Voting in an election is an utmost valuable right that should be exercised by every citizen of suitable age.
Many young voters are now having doubts if it is even worth voting in the next election since MPs tend to easily change their principles and legion, which evidently changes the Government they voted for.
A few bad apples have indeed spoilt the basket – rumours are going around that rogue MPs are demanding to be Deputy Prime Minister, or they will pull their support.
It is imperative that the current Government and the opposition to bring about Anti Party Hopping Law to finally put a stop to politicians holding democracy and the whole nation at ransom. – Aug 24, 2021
VKK Rajasekaran Teagarajan is a Malaysian citizen hoping for a better future for the country, who is also the president of Industry 4.0 Association Malaysia and a member of DAP.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
