TODAY’S launch in Penang of Tony Pua’s Langkah Sheraton NFT project takes place at a critical time in the nation’s history – after 30 months of darkest despair, despondency, dejection and even hopelessness after the Sheraton Move political conspiracy which toppled the 22-month Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government in February 2020.
There is now light at the end of the tunnel that Malaysia will not end up as a failed state like Sri Lanka with the jailing of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
There is hope that Malaysia can reset and correct the wrong turn we have taken in nation-building in the last half a century, deviating from the nation-building principles our founding fathers have entrenched in the Malaysian Constitution and Rukun Negara.
This includes constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, public integrity, meritocracy, respect for human rights and national unity from our multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural diversity where there are no first-class and second-class citizens whether based on race, religion or region.
These nation-building principles which are set out in the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara are the success formula for Malaysia to be a world-class nation while the deviation from them will see Malaysia ending up as a kleptocracy, a kakistocracy, a failed and a rogue state.
Cover-up of scandals
Nobody was sure whether Najib will go to jail for the monstrous mega 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal which had given Malaysia the world-wide infamy of a kleptocratic state as the erosion of the nation-building principles had been quite widespread and deep-rooted.
This is to the extent that many Malaysians wondered whether fundamental nation-building principles like the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and good governance in the war against corruption still hold sway in Malaysia.
Najib’s going to jail shows that our nation-building principles have not been eroded beyond redemption, the institution have not been damaged beyond repair, and that there is still hope for the future for all Malaysians.
Malaysia believes in the doctrine of separation of powers among the executive, legislature and the judiciary.
But over the last half of a century, there had been a too powerful executive at the expense of both the legislature and the judiciary, resulting in the cover-up of many scandals and abuses of power with the country losing out to one country after another in various fields of human endeavour.
Recall that Malaysia’s 13th Parliament was used to cover up the 1MDB scandal and if not for the “political miracle” of the May 9, 2018 a.k.a. the 14th General Election (GE14) which toppled the seemingly invincible UMNO-Barisan Nasional (BN) political hegemony, Malaysia will still be at odds with the world with regard to the 1MDB scandal and Malaysian kleptocracy.
There is now hope
I told a former judge at the wake of DAP founding chairman, Dr Chen Man Hin, last Saturday (Aug 20) that the judges must now save Malaysia by upholding the founding nation-building principle of the country.
This is so that Malaysia can achieve its destiny to become world-class great nation, especially with regard to the rule of law, the doctrine of separations of powers and good governance like the war against corruption.
There is considerable nervousness in the nation as no one was sure of the outcome of Najib’s SRC International Sdn Bhd case appeal at the Federal Court.
As a result of the Federal Court’s decision on Tuesday (Aug 23), the black clouds of despair, dejection, despondency and even hopelessness are beginning to disperse for there is now light at the end of the tunnel.
The 22-month PH Government was the first step in the a long struggle to make Malaysia a world-class great nation as nowhere in the world is it possible to achieve in 22 months an electoral mandate meant to be implemented in five years.
The past 30 months after the Sheraton Move conspiracy have shown that we must return to the founding nation-building principles if Malaysia is to fulfil her destiny to become a world-class great nation – and that patriotic Malaysians whether in the country and the Malaysian diaspora alike must not lose hope but dare to dream the Malaysian Dream. – Aug 26, 2022
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is the MP for Iskandar Puteri.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
