THE seven-week Parliament beginning today is as much a make-or-break session for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government as it is a test whether the 74-MP Opposition bloc can promote unity in a plural society and restore Malaysia as a first-rate world-class nation.
The Anwar Unity Government has started on the right footing in its first 52 days in office, vindicating what he promised after he was appointed the 10th Prime Minister (PM) by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that he would not compromise on good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence, and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians.
An acid test awaits the 74-MPs Opposition bloc whether it can be a trusted and loyal opposition to support the Anwar unity government to end the very polarised ethnic and religious relations in Malaysia.
This is why the inaugural speech of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin in the Royal Address debate tomorrow is important towards setting the Opposition’s tone in the 15th Parliament – whether the Opposition it can put national priority over coalition priority.
This goes to say whether it is able to offer support to the objectives of the Anwar government to unite a very polarised plural society along racial and religious lines and reset to return to the original nation-building principles of the nation’s founding fathers for Malaysia to become a first-rate world-class nation.
The first question is why Tan Sri Hadi Awang (PAS president) or Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Bersatu president) is not the parliamentary Opposition leader.
The second question is whether the Opposition will use Parliament to purvey the divisive and toxic politics of lies, falsehoods, fake news, race and religion and whether the Opposition leader will repeat the most preposterous lies and falsehoods in Parliament – for example, the DAP is anti-Malay, anti-Islam, communist, and promoting Islamophobia.
The third question is whether the Opposition will give full support to all measures to promote good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence, and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians.
The fourth question is whether the 15th Parliament would be used by the Opposition to primarily foment another Sheraton Move political conspiracy to topple the Anwar government and usher in a third “back-door” government. – Feb 13, 2023
Touted as Malaysia’s longest-serving Opposition leader in which he held the position for a total of 29 years on three separate occasions, retired DAP supremo and former Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, 81, has a colourful political career spanning 57 years.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
