MUDA should not be overhasty and should cooperate with Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government in the six state polls in August.
Malaysia is faced with the last opportunity to reset and return to the original nation-building principles of a plural Malaysia our nation’s founding fathers (which included the first three prime ministers who were also UMNO presidents) have written into the Constitution and Rukun Negara.
It is worth noting and pointing out that PAS who is the “Big Brother” in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has never expressed support for the Rukun Negara as the nation-building principles to create a great plural Malaysia.
Will the tentative efforts of the Anwar unity government to reset and return to the original nation-building principles of the plural Malaysia continue and Malaysia become world champions in more and more fields of human endeavour or will Malaysia falter and return to the trajectory leading to a divided, failed and corrupt state in the coming decades?
This is the meaning of the six state polls in August – whether Malaysia will end the national decline of the last few decades and rise again to be world champions in various fields of human endeavour or whether Malaysia will slide back to the path of failed, divided and corrupt state?
Whatever the weaknesses and failings of the incumbent state governments in Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan, do the voters of these state polls in August want Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan to be like Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah?
Or do they want Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah to be like Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan where the GDP (gross domestic product) per capita of Penang is four times that of Kelantan?
Malaysia should not only be world champions again but be the role model of the world for inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony.
Does PN of PAS and Bersatu agree to this national mission? Malaysia ranked No. 45th among countries in the world in population size but we were at one time No. 20 among countries in terms of deaths in the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when (PN chairman) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was the PM.
This is not the world champion that Malaysia wants. Malaysia must punch above her weight.
What Malaysia wants are the positive achievements like winning the Thomas Cup, the Olympic events, the Oscar Award, having the world’s best universities, the best scientists, IT experts and even win the Nobel Prizes.
Therefore, the MUDA leadership should re-consider its decision to go solo in the six state polls. – June 27, 2023
Veteran lawmaker and retired DAP supremo Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang was the former MP for Iskandar Puteri.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
