I want to apologise to the people of Malaysia that after seven years, Pakatan Rakyat is dead but we vow that the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework aspirations for an united, inclusive, progressive, just and prosperous Malaysia will live on and continue to be the basis of DAP struggle for a new Malaysia until there is a new government in Putrajaya.
We in the DAP recognize the political reality that under the present circumstances, no single race or even single political party can rule multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia and that the Federal Government from Putrajaya and the various state governments will have to be formed from a coalition of political parties.
DAP is prepared to be a partner of coalition governments, but it must be a coalition of common political principles and objectives and not a coalition of self-interests and political opportunism just to cling to political offices and position.
This is why the DAP Central Executive Committee at its meeting on June 15 took two decisions:
• Recognition that the PAS top leadership had killed Pakatan Rakyat after the PAS Muktamar resolution to sever ties with DAP and repeated violation by the top PAS leadership of the PR Common Policy Framework and the PR consensus operational principle in the past one year;
• Full support to the Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali to reframe the Selangor state government with a new functioning coalition based on the PR Common Policy Framework and the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat general election manifesto.
Recently, a video clip of a young Malay woman, a 23-year-old law graduate identified as Zahra, telling the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the concern of the young generation of Malays is “survival, not politics or race” went viral.
Zahra spoke of the financial struggles of her generation and how she had grown increasingly disappointed and angry that the life she is living was not what she had envisioned as a student.
At an event organized by Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) last month, Zahra told Muhyiddin who was the guest-of-honour at the function:
“The reality of the working world is not as beautiful as people expect it to be – on the contrary, it is torturous. Yes, I drive to the office, but the car is not mine. I am borrowing it and pay RM500 each month to my father for it.
“Usually, by the end of the month, I take the LRT to the office because my pockets are empty by that time. It has become a routine, and I am ashamed to face my parents. I should be taking care of them, not the other way around.”
She said she had no other choice, as her salary was not high despite years of toiling for a law degree.
Buying a house would remain a dream for years to come, she said, as even paying the RM500 monthly rent to stay in a house with seven others was a struggle.
“I know I’m not alone. Many of my friends are suffering. We don’t see a way out. My future and that of millions of other Malay youth is bleak.
“Honestly, we Malay youth don’t care about political or racial issues, because what matters to us is the issue of survival.”
Zahra spoke deep from her heart, not only for the Malay youths but for all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region.
This is the greatest challenge facing the country today, whether we are going to hear the cries of Zahra, who represent not just the Malay youths but young generation of all Malaysians regardless of race and religion, for good governance and a good Federal Government where the priority is to ensure a vibrant and prosperous economy, with good jobs, decent salaries, good and affordable education, housing, hospitals, transportation and safe environment for all in every part of the country.
This is what the PR Common Policy Framework had sought to achieve – a united, inclusive, progressive, just and prosperous Malaysia where good governance in Malaysia is the No. 1 concern of all and where Malaysians reject the narrow, petty, extremist, chauvinist politics of race and religion which are the playthings of self-seeking irresponsible politicians to continue to divide and not to unite Malaysians.
On Tuesday, progressive Members of Parliament and NGO representatives were locked out of the Parliamentary Briefing Room to discuss the Wall Street Journal allegation that Malaysian government investigators have found almost US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts in AmBank just before the 13th General Election and the larger question of rampant corruption and abuses of power in Malaysia.
Malaysia is facing an unprecedented political crisis as never before in the nation’s history of six Prime Ministers in 58 years has any Prime Minister faced a direct allegation in an internationally influential and reputable publication of Prime Ministerial misconduct in having RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal banking accounts just before a general election.
I had hoped that a few progressive UMNO/BN MPs would turn up in Parliament on Tuesday to express concern and solidarity with progressive Opposition MPs and NGO representatives about the deplorable state of rampant corruption and abuses of power in Malaysia.
Is there not a single UMNO/BN MP who does not feel outraged at the rampant corruption, abuses of power, socio-economic injustices and collapse of good governance in Malaysia?
I do not think so, and this is why I want to make a call to all progressive and patriotic MPs and political leaders, including those who are now inside UMNO/BN, to step forward to work with all progressive and patriotic MPs and political leaders outside the federal UMNO/BN coalition, to save Malaysia from becoming a failed state as a result of rampant corruption, abuses of power, socio-economic injustices and the collapse of good governance.
This is the greatest gift the older generation of Malaysians can give to the young generation of Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Dayaks or Kadazan-Dusun-Muruts.
(Speech at the “Buka Puasa bersama anak muda DAP” at Dewan Melati, Seksyen 7, Shah Alam organized by Bandar Utama DAP Branch on Friday, July 10, 2015 at 8 pm)