Time is running out for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the next 24 hours when the Cabinet holds its weekly meeting on Friday (during Parliamentary meetings) as to whether Najib has deviated from the stand of the first five Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah and the bedrock UMNO/Barisan Nasional nation-building principle and policy that hudud law is against Malaysian Constitution, the 1963 Malaysia Agreement and not suitable for a multi-racial and multi-religious nation like Malaysia.
For nearly 60 years, every Prime Minister if asked will have no hesitation to declaring the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement of 1963 will not permit the implementation of hudud laws.
The question is why the fifth Prime Minister has been agonizing for a week as to whether to reiterate what is UMNO/Barisan Nasional/Alliance policy for 58 years from Merdeka and 52 years since the formation of Malaysia.
If under Najib, UMNO/BN policies have taken a tectonic shift whereby the Prime Minister cannot open reiterate and reaffirm what had been UMNO/BN/Alliance bedrock nation-building principles for 58 years, in accordance with the 1957 Merdeka Constitution and the 1963 Malaysia Agreement that hudud law is against the Federal Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and unsuitable for a multi-racial and multi-religious nation like Malaysia, then I invite all Malaysians to seriously think of the possibility of a new Malaysia coalition which is post-BN and post-PR with a new Prime Minister to “Save Malaysia” to defend the Federal Constitution and the rule of law.
A New Coalition Post-BN and Post-PR with a new Prime Minister should be based on five fundamental principles, namely:
1. Defend the Federal Constitution, Islam as the religion of the Federation while other religions can be practiced peacefully anywhere in the country and protecting the special position of the Malays and the indigenous peoples anywhere including Sabah and Sarawak, and the legitimate interests of other races in accordance to Article 153.
2. Defend the role and responsibility of the institution of Constitutional Monarchy.
3. Uphold the use of Bahasa Malaysia in accordance to Article 152 of the Constitution and promote Bahasa Malaysia as the regional lingua franca, while protecting and strengthening the use of mother tongue languages for all races.
4. Abolish or amend all other oppressive laws and regulations that are repressive and contravene fundamental rights.
5. Guarantee the spirit of Federalism and a just relationship between the Federation and states, including a review of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement pertaining to Sabah and Sarawak.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has announced that it would break ranks with BN should the coalition support PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill on hudud implementation.
PRS President James Masing said unequivocally that PRS’ six MPs will not support the bill.
I believe that overwhelming majority of Sarawak and Sabah MPs from Barisan Nasional would break ranks with UMNO/BN if Najib announces UMNO/BN support for Hadi’s private member’s bill.
This however would not be the case with MCA or Gerakan, who would not have the conviction or courage like the PRS President to announce well in advance that they would break ranks with UMNO/BN should the coalition support Hadi’s private member’s bill.
After all, MCA and Gerakan had already set a precedent, when they raised no objections whatsoever to Kelantan UMNO State Assemblymen violating the fundamental UMNO/BN nation-building policies and voted in support of PAS Kelantan’s hudud implementation in the Kelantan State Assembly on March 19, 2015.
Although Najib can depend on acquiescene and obedience from MCA and Gerakan on whatever stand he takes on Hadi’s private member’s bill, he must be prepared for an open revolt from the BN MPs in Sarawak and Sabah if he supports Hadi’s private member’s bill.
After the 2013 General Elections, MCA which had been reduced to 7/11 representation and Gerakan are completely dispensable in BN coalition but this is not the case with Sarawak and Sabah MPs.
In fact, without the support of the 27 Sarawak and 22 Sabah BN MPs, Najib would today be the Parliamentary Opposition Leader (if he survives as UMNO President) and not be the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Having allowed UMNO “UG” conspirators to lead Kelantan PAS “up the garden’s path” that UMNO will support PAS in hudud law and implementation, Najib will probably opt for a position where he would neither say “yes” or “no” to Hadi’s private member’s bill on hudud implementation.
This, by itself, would be a major deviation from the founding principles of the five previous Prime Ministers, UMNO/BN coalition, Federal Constitution and Malaysia Agreement that hudud law and implementation is against the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
This ambivalent stand by Najib is completely unacceptable, and justifies the exploration of a new political landscape involving a new Malaysian coalition with a new Prime Minister, which is post-BN and post-PR.
With due respect, I have to disagree with your conclusion of the practical wisdom of broad coalition against a UG govt. Its possible to make such an outcome and it may even be inevitable. BUT, unless Sabah & Sarawak has disporportionate number of seats, the best possible outcome is a dangerous dual-coalition system fractured along race and religion – simply unworkable. No state fractured that way has been able to even function much less succeed.
Furthermore the demographic is against the coalition against UG ever taking power. All that would happen is they would keep pushing race and religion to the destruction of everyone..
Just as you yourself in 1969 failed to see the disintegration of MCA was bad for the country, a broad coalition as you propose, will fail to see the imperative of holding together against a UG govt.
Its not possible, especially these days and age, for national party to advocate partnership with foreign forces to save our political future but that is precisely ONLY thing that will really save our political future with the exception UMNO/BN suddently change their color of pushing race and religion.
Critics have always said, Najib is the PM at the MOST CRITICAL TIME in our nation’s history AND THE MOST UNQUALIFED to be so..
Its now up the people, up to the Malays themselves to decide. What DAP and anyone else who sees the danger of our national politics can do is appeal to their rationality – a very tall order. Otherwise, we are spectators and bystanders and hence can only be so..
Can Najib do his usual double-speak and placate the East Malaysian BN parties, the same way he did with the Allah issue, by saying that hudud is only applicable in West Malaysia?