by Foong Wai Fong
The events in the next couple of weeks, leading to whether Anwar will contest a by-election will demonstrate to the People of Malaysia whether they have indeed make the right choice, by voting in the Opposition. The People are troubled by these post-election developments.
A message to the OPPOSITION:
1. Many people voted you in not because how good you were or will be, but more they just wanted to throw out the other guy, deny the 2/3 majority given to the ruling coalition.
2. If you walk your talk, you MUST NEVER do what the other guy has been doing in the past decades.
The electorate wishes to see REAL Change, sincerity and integrity; not making deals and bargains wrapped in exchange of cabinet positions for alliance — this makes the OPP no different from the incumbent ruling class. Any mistakes on the part of the OPP in strategy will bring serious backlash, that mistake has the high risk of throwing Malaysia into a state of chaos and instability. This is SERIOUS matter.
On the other hand, if the OPP and Anwar Ibrahim can be a little patient, taking things one step at a time, act with integrity and sincerity, THIS IS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY. Any tactic that involves trading of bargains of power would diminish all hope that we are entering a new era. For we believe any of those MPs or state assembly members out there who cross over because they did not get the so-called “rewards” in position would do no good for the OPP. All cabinet and government positions are positions to provide service, not positions for reward of winning the election! It serves the OPP well to remember that.
Does the people of Malaysia has the assurance with PAS and DAP balancing the ambition of Anwar and PKR?
Can Anwar rise to be a true leader for all Malaysia, and that his present struggle is a fulfilment of his long time political vision to make Malaysia truly multiracial and progressive, not that he is getting even with UMNO. By and large it was not the BN or UMNO that wrong him, it was Dr Mahathir who did.
The people of Malaysia ought to pray and work to see a reformed BN — in spite of the difficulties within the ruling coalition to change. We are striving to have two strong parties; only in having credible choices could the people’s wellbeing be safeguarded. BN would need to act swiftly to reinvent and prove itself; much time and opportunity has been wasted, for example naming the new cabinet presents real opportunity; but BN misses that.
The People of Malaysia wishes to see gradual change; the OPP settles in and build its governing team. Many of the candidates in the OPP do not have the credentials to be government leaders; they were put together and got voted in by the wave for change; this these new YBs must know. They must now accelerate their learning and find out exactly what is expected of them and rise up to the occasion. Anwar must further consolidates its power and assure the people of his intentions; at the same time give BN time to change; the next election would present people with the real choice. If the current OPP does get to form the government; it would be very credible because people voted them in to form the government. For this election; by and large, the People of Malaysia only wanted to deny BN its 2/3 majority; not all the way to have the OPP running the country yet. Events have its own turn; the people however, while willing to give the OPP a chance to govern 5 states, but are still tentative in its feelings about the outcome.
All eyes are on the OPP government in the state. Waiting for one more term may be the right thing to do before going for the Federal Government.
There is real opportunity here for Anwar Ibrahim. If he succeeds to bring about democractic change to Malaysia in an honest, clean and credible way; he would go down in world history as a national leader who could go beyond racialism to embrace the larger interest. If Anwar does that, the People of Malaysia will nominate him for the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE — for setting the world on the right track and for bringing hope to all societies plagued by racial struggle; putting Anwar Ibrahim in the company of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and the like. This would rekindle the fire for truth and ideals; key values to building a sustainable world.