The Malaysian Insider
Sep 17, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — The influential international newspaper The Economist has praised Datuk Seri Najib Razak for his move to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other controversial security laws but points out that he will have to abolish “institutionalised ethnic discrimination” before he can assume the mantle of a radical reformer.
The extreme right-wing of Umno is expected to go along with the sweeping legislative changes as long as it does not touch on ethnic quotas and divisions, the newspaper said in an opinion published in its popular Banyan column yesterday.
“It is the system of ethnic quotas and divisions that is really holding the country back — if Mr Najib started to take an axe to all that, then absolutely nobody would question his credentials as a radical reformer,” the newspaper wrote.
The Economist noted that the reforms announced on the eve of Malaysia Day could further transform the image of Najib from grey, indecisive technocrat to progressive democrat, “or so his supporters hope.”
Some analysts say his plans to speed up reforms to retake middle Malaysia could still hurt Barisan Nasional’s (BN) chances in the next general election because some conservatives may feel alienated.
Najib had said on Thursday in a televised address that the ISA and Emergency Ordinance, both of which allow for indefinite detention without trial, would be repealed and replaced by two new laws for use mainly against suspected terrorists.
The international media has responded with measured praise to the prime minister’s efforts to assume the reformist mantle with the Wall Street Journal also pointing out yesterday that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial continues to cast a pall over Najib’s bid to become a reformer.
Newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and The Economist had flayed the Najib administration over its handling of Bersih’s July 9 rally where tens of thousands were dispersed by water cannons and tear gas in chaotic scenes that resulted in nearly 1,700 arrested, scores injured and one ex-soldier dead.
An article in The Economist attacking the heavy-handed police action against Bersih activists was even censored by government officials here.
But Najib’s speech on Thursday has now gained slightly more positive coverage in The Economist, with yesterday’s Banyan column describing the repeal of the ISA a most welcome measure.
“If all these laws are indeed repealed and changes implemented, then the political landscape in Malaysia might look very different in a few years’ time, and Mr Najib will be able to claim a lot of credit for that.”
The newspaper added however that the opposition will also feel vindicated, “although they will worry that Mr Najib has swiped many of their most distinctive campaign promises at the next election.”
But The Economist pointed out that Najib’s biggest challenge would still be ethnic quotas.
“Some on the extreme Malay wing of the party grumble that all this reform stuff is going too far, but they will go along with it as long as it does not touch on the most profound sources of oppression and grievance in the country, the institutionalised ethnic discrimination that privileges Malays over the country’s other races, mainly Chinese and Indians.”
///But The Economist pointed out that Najib’s biggest challenge would still be ethnic quotas.///
That is understood because touching ethnic quotas means touching their income, touching raw nerves and it hurts.
Najib may yet need to use the ISA on the right wing extremists before he can scrap the laws.
Then he will get the support of moderate Malaysians to REFORM.
But it seems the task will be too great for a weak PM.
It’s too early and premature to say that the ISA has been abolished. It is becoming clear that Najip did not have full alignment within the cabinet and UMNO supreme council for the abolishment and Moohidin said that he is “surprised”, while Nazri said he needs one year to “study” the changes. It also appears to be another UMNO dirty tactic to hoodwink the citizens into believing that they are reforming the law when what UMNO intends to do is just rebrand the ISA and other repressive laws. Why would UMNO want to abolish ISA when they have been using it to their benefit by incarcerating the opposition parties? Didn’t UMNO use the EO to imprison and torture the PSM activists and later announced that they did not use ISA? It will be no surprise that UMNO will create other laws to the same effect as the ISA and call it something like “public security act” etc.
What we can learn from Najip’s announcement is that UMNO is a dishonest and corrupt party which is only interested to hoodwink the citizens through empty promises in order for them to win the GE. We the rakyat of Malaysia need to reform our government by voting out UMNO in the coming GE. UMNO and BN is beyond redemption and they only have their selfish interests to continue to plunder the country’s wealth and rights of the rakyat. Look at the latest ecological disaster in the Belum forest due to logging and the Perak MB says he does not know anything about it. Typical of corrupt UMNO.
negarawan, you are absolutely right.
‘It’s too early and premature to say that the ISA has been abolished.’
It must be officially abolished b4 the next GE.
To please the non Malays, UMNO, in their General Assemblies, have been telling our Malay brothers not to rely on the ‘tongkat’, from the govenment.
However, since that statement was made, more ‘tongkat’ were given out through out the years.
All will be at status quo, if not worse, the moment BN wins.
the last time Najib promised almighty changes i.e. the NEM, it was torpedoed by his own party and subcontractors…so let’s sit back and see whether the same is repeated.
///But The Economist pointed out that Najib’s biggest challenge would still be ethnic quotas.
“Some on the extreme Malay wing of the party grumble that all this reform stuff is going too far, but they will go along with it as long as it does not touch on the most profound sources of oppression and grievance in the country, the institutionalised ethnic discrimination that privileges Malays over the country’s other races, mainly Chinese and Indians.” /// — The Economist
Article 153 was implemented in perverted manners and NEP is worse.
NEP makes government services in Malaysia UMNO services. It reversed the ethnic mix of government employees with Malays constituted 70% in 1970 to more than 90% now. So UMNO government intends to go against the spirit of NEP with NEP. Now Najib still claims that NEP should go on. He meant it that NEP licenses the government to go against its spirit, when the government is allowed to make use of race as a criterion for discretionary government decisions.
Tun Razak said NEP was to be implemented for twenty years, and had the target of 30% Malays participation in commerce and industries. Clearly the 20 years had long passed, and the 30% had been surpassed since 1990 if the government did not cheat with statistics. Najib should not have announced an extension to NEP. If there were shortfalls from the target, he should announce it with relevant evidence so that specific government programmes can be identified. For example, in government services, non-Malays should be employed above their racial ratio in the coming years until the composition of government servants reflects the composition of the population. Indeed GLCs are funded by the government and their employees should also reflect racial composition in the country.
Najib has made lots of promises and he just loves to listen to people heaping praises and praises upon him. But when it comes to making the promises ( a better Malaysia for all Malaysians ) a reality he just sits back and forgets all about them. Is He suffering from schizophrenia? So should we jump for joy when he said that he will repeal the ISA and other security laws?