Time is fast running out for PM Badawi to make a graceful exit and ease the transition of power for the nation’s sake.
The electorate registered a huge protest vote against his leadership by stripping the BN of their two-thirds majority in March 2008. This is a massive swing from his 2004 landslide win. In addition to Kelantan, the people of Penang, Perak, Kedah and Selangor punished his complacency by putting an Opposition government in power.
Right after the elections, in the states of Perlis and Terengganu, His Majesties delivered a huge blow to his credibility as Prime Minister by rejecting his choice of Menteri Besar. His own UMNO assemblymen gave him a slap in his face by accepting the appointments with the full knowledge that it is a direct challenge to his authority.
In his recent Cabinet announcements, 2 of his appointees declined his nomination.
The Prime Minister’s Office, as an institution, is bigger than any one man. It is clear than the current holder can no longer wield the full power and influence that this office bestows. By postponing the UMNO General Assembly, he is telling Malaysians that even his UMNO Presidency (and hence PM of Malaysia) is under threat. This means right until May 2009, PM Badawi will be embroiled in an internal fight to keep him in office, instead of exercising his Prime Ministerial duties in the face of what has been billed the biggest economic challenge since the Great Depression.
Malaysians from all walks of life has spoken, and for a PM with “big ears”, isn’t the message clear enough?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Lazy Sunday Afternoon
2 statements by RANDY DAVID (Sunday Star, 16 March 2008) caught my eye. It is from an article titled " When modern institutions work", illustrating how a fast-rising Democrat and potential presidential nominee Elliot Spitzer being brought crashing down to earth due to a sex scandal exposed no less by the banking system, the internal revenue office, the FBI and the courts.
"Institutions are the evolutionary achievements of society, the means by which stable collective life is assured. They begin to malfunction when they get corrupted, when they allow themselves to become the extension of personal power."
"The legal system is represented in the form of a blindfolded lady holding the scale of justice. The law weights the evidence, but is blind to the social standing or power of those appearing before it".
Democracy may have prevailed in the 12th GE, however, our judicial system, as evidenced by the shambolic revelations in the Lingam Royal Commision hearing, remains crippled and beholden to executive powers and manipulation by big names. Lets see if the wind of change will blow through the courts as well.
"Institutions are the evolutionary achievements of society, the means by which stable collective life is assured. They begin to malfunction when they get corrupted, when they allow themselves to become the extension of personal power."
"The legal system is represented in the form of a blindfolded lady holding the scale of justice. The law weights the evidence, but is blind to the social standing or power of those appearing before it".
Democracy may have prevailed in the 12th GE, however, our judicial system, as evidenced by the shambolic revelations in the Lingam Royal Commision hearing, remains crippled and beholden to executive powers and manipulation by big names. Lets see if the wind of change will blow through the courts as well.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Perak MB Swearing-In Cancelled
The Opposition coalition has to quickly recognize the position it finds itself now –a position of 2 polar opposites – they are Governments in the 5 States that they have won, and they are Opposition at the Federal level. This calls for careful re-evaluation of their strategies because the realities have changed, which can work for or against their favour. The two starkest changes are obvious: Power and Media.
Absolute power corrupts, abrupt Power intoxicates. The initial signs are that the Opposition has allowed the euphoria of winning to make them forget what clinched them the historic victory in the first place. It was the people who were willing to give the Opposition coalition – PKR, DAP and PAS a chance – by voting across racial and religious lines – Chinese for PAS, Malay for DAP/PKR. And they rightfully demand that they work together and prove to them they are a better alternative to the ruling BN. And how they have let the people down. The Opposition has already started to engage in internal bickering to see who gets what. Have they lost sight of the real prize? The real prize is the Federal Government, and the Opposition coalition has less than 4 years to get their act together to prove that what they preach in Opposition, they can deliver in Government in the 5 states they now rule. Stop fighting for scraps under the dinner table. The people has given you power, so start governing!
Secondly, whereas before the Opposition has to resort to alternative media to get their voices heard, they are now the media darlings. All mainstream newspapers and broadcasters want to get a piece of them. This Britney-Spears attention has obviously got them unprepared, as they are still fumbling to get out a coherent, unified message. Instead of exploiting the current BN shaky foundations, they allowed themselves to become the focal attention of a coalition in disarray. Press statements are given by various Opposition Leaders without conferring with each other, eliciting swift contradictory statements and perpetuating the notion of disunity and confusion in the Opposition ranks.
I echo one statement made by a prominent blogger - can all the Opposition Leaders shut up? You are now a YB, not a MC. Your job now is to govern, not to give press statements. Create a media team that has to get any media release approved by the 3 respective Parties’ central committees. Issue press releases that are with substance – new state policies that are transparent, fair and beneficial to the people. Expose any corruption of previous state administrations. Let the media focus on BN – they are the ones with a weak foundation and an infighting that will eventually unravel.
In a nutshell, welcome to the adults’ table – now, please start to act like one.
Absolute power corrupts, abrupt Power intoxicates. The initial signs are that the Opposition has allowed the euphoria of winning to make them forget what clinched them the historic victory in the first place. It was the people who were willing to give the Opposition coalition – PKR, DAP and PAS a chance – by voting across racial and religious lines – Chinese for PAS, Malay for DAP/PKR. And they rightfully demand that they work together and prove to them they are a better alternative to the ruling BN. And how they have let the people down. The Opposition has already started to engage in internal bickering to see who gets what. Have they lost sight of the real prize? The real prize is the Federal Government, and the Opposition coalition has less than 4 years to get their act together to prove that what they preach in Opposition, they can deliver in Government in the 5 states they now rule. Stop fighting for scraps under the dinner table. The people has given you power, so start governing!
Secondly, whereas before the Opposition has to resort to alternative media to get their voices heard, they are now the media darlings. All mainstream newspapers and broadcasters want to get a piece of them. This Britney-Spears attention has obviously got them unprepared, as they are still fumbling to get out a coherent, unified message. Instead of exploiting the current BN shaky foundations, they allowed themselves to become the focal attention of a coalition in disarray. Press statements are given by various Opposition Leaders without conferring with each other, eliciting swift contradictory statements and perpetuating the notion of disunity and confusion in the Opposition ranks.
I echo one statement made by a prominent blogger - can all the Opposition Leaders shut up? You are now a YB, not a MC. Your job now is to govern, not to give press statements. Create a media team that has to get any media release approved by the 3 respective Parties’ central committees. Issue press releases that are with substance – new state policies that are transparent, fair and beneficial to the people. Expose any corruption of previous state administrations. Let the media focus on BN – they are the ones with a weak foundation and an infighting that will eventually unravel.
In a nutshell, welcome to the adults’ table – now, please start to act like one.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Fish Rots from the Head
BN has not learnt its lesson. It fielded many new faces in the 12th General Election in its bid to convince the electorate that it is in a process of rejuvenation. Its severe loss however, clearly showed that the strategy failed. In contrast, many new faces from the Opposition went on to thump veteran BN candidates. How is it that the same rejuvenation strategy yielded huge defeats to one party but handsomely rewards another?
The answer is so obvious, that the BN leadership must be in denial as it seeks to absolve itself of its responsibility. A rejuvenation process has to start from the top-down, not bottom-up. Whereas the Opposition presented a clear new direction, with its leadership espousing brave changes to the way it wanted to govern the country, the BN leadership stuck to its old agenda. Whereas the Opposition leadership is ready to stake its credibility by challenging the status quo, the BN leadership stuck to its old tired formula of “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”.
Hence, even with many fresh faces in the line-up, the people have no reason to believe the renewal process is a genuine one, when old hands in the leadership is still steering the ship. Fresh faces are needed at the top, not at the bottom!
(For example, in the UK, Tony Blair’s transformation of the Labour Party into New Labour convinced the British people to break more than a decade of Conservative rule and gave him a landslide majority. New Labour was successful because Tony Blair himself presented a fresh change from “Old” Labour (under John Smith), and he successfully moved the Party to the centre by purging the leadership of veterans who were still clinging to the left. )
In the aftermath of their heavy loss, the BN leadership is still living the illusion that they can “rejuvenate” the party. If they have failed to convince the electorate before the 8th of March 2008, what makes them think they can after this historic day? If the BN leadership genuinely wants to rejuvenate the party, it has to hand over the reins to a new leadership. Only a new leadership can convince the people that change is at hand. Save yourselves, destroy the party. Leave now, and there is hope for BN.
As Barack Obama says so eloquently, give us “Change We Can Believe In”.
The answer is so obvious, that the BN leadership must be in denial as it seeks to absolve itself of its responsibility. A rejuvenation process has to start from the top-down, not bottom-up. Whereas the Opposition presented a clear new direction, with its leadership espousing brave changes to the way it wanted to govern the country, the BN leadership stuck to its old agenda. Whereas the Opposition leadership is ready to stake its credibility by challenging the status quo, the BN leadership stuck to its old tired formula of “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”.
Hence, even with many fresh faces in the line-up, the people have no reason to believe the renewal process is a genuine one, when old hands in the leadership is still steering the ship. Fresh faces are needed at the top, not at the bottom!
(For example, in the UK, Tony Blair’s transformation of the Labour Party into New Labour convinced the British people to break more than a decade of Conservative rule and gave him a landslide majority. New Labour was successful because Tony Blair himself presented a fresh change from “Old” Labour (under John Smith), and he successfully moved the Party to the centre by purging the leadership of veterans who were still clinging to the left. )
In the aftermath of their heavy loss, the BN leadership is still living the illusion that they can “rejuvenate” the party. If they have failed to convince the electorate before the 8th of March 2008, what makes them think they can after this historic day? If the BN leadership genuinely wants to rejuvenate the party, it has to hand over the reins to a new leadership. Only a new leadership can convince the people that change is at hand. Save yourselves, destroy the party. Leave now, and there is hope for BN.
As Barack Obama says so eloquently, give us “Change We Can Believe In”.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A Letter to the Star Editor
Dear Sir
It is not the Opposition that has broken the National Front’s seemingly invincible two-thirds majority. It is the People. It is not that the Opposition wrested the states of Selangor, Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Kedah. It was the People that consented to the new governments.
This was despite the extreme biased reporting on the part of the mainstream media, of which Star was part of. I have never seen such one-sided opinion in favour of the ruling party. Positive spin was poured on ruling coalition candidates’ campaign rounds, while the opposition’s campaigns were barely covered. And when it was, it was mostly negative commentaries.
Where is the responsible and fair journalism? Do not mock our intelligence. By demonstrating such blatant disregard for unbiased reporting, the Star failed in its duty to play a role as an important pillar of Malaysia’s democratic process. It only serves to push the readers to resort to alternative media, while the Star’s reports was read with great scepticism, and in some instances, even anger at the complete disregard for fair competition in a democratic country.
Of course we know that the Star is not an independent corporate entity, since its ultimate owner is a component party of the ruling BN. However, unless it wants to maintain its relevance as an important institution in the Malaysian society whose editorials are respected and read without preset prejudices, it has to break its shackles from its political masters. Let us form our own opinions by giving us both sides of the stories. If the Star continues to neglect its role as a provider of balanced views and genuine news to the People, then it will be a matter of time before its readers forsake the Star and turn to other sources that will.
It is not the Opposition that has broken the National Front’s seemingly invincible two-thirds majority. It is the People. It is not that the Opposition wrested the states of Selangor, Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Kedah. It was the People that consented to the new governments.
This was despite the extreme biased reporting on the part of the mainstream media, of which Star was part of. I have never seen such one-sided opinion in favour of the ruling party. Positive spin was poured on ruling coalition candidates’ campaign rounds, while the opposition’s campaigns were barely covered. And when it was, it was mostly negative commentaries.
Where is the responsible and fair journalism? Do not mock our intelligence. By demonstrating such blatant disregard for unbiased reporting, the Star failed in its duty to play a role as an important pillar of Malaysia’s democratic process. It only serves to push the readers to resort to alternative media, while the Star’s reports was read with great scepticism, and in some instances, even anger at the complete disregard for fair competition in a democratic country.
Of course we know that the Star is not an independent corporate entity, since its ultimate owner is a component party of the ruling BN. However, unless it wants to maintain its relevance as an important institution in the Malaysian society whose editorials are respected and read without preset prejudices, it has to break its shackles from its political masters. Let us form our own opinions by giving us both sides of the stories. If the Star continues to neglect its role as a provider of balanced views and genuine news to the People, then it will be a matter of time before its readers forsake the Star and turn to other sources that will.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
8th March 2008 - A Glorious Day
I woke up today to a glorious morning. A perfect storm has swept, leaving not destruction in its wake, but an upheaval in the political structure and a fresh beginning throughout the peninsula.
Malaysians today can proudly proclaim that their thunderous message can be heard through-out the entire country. No more political hegemony. No more race-based politics. The opposition coalition, led by the multi-racial Party Keadilan Rakyat, has delivered a huge blow to the seemingly invincible two-thirds Parliamentary majority that has been held by the ruling party for so long.
BN has only itself to blame. This time, its substantial loss of seats is not due to one particular race switching to the opposition camp. Malays, Chinese and the Indians have indicated that PKR, DAP and PAS is a viable alternative coalition. How did the BN, from a formidable 90% majority in the 2004 elections, could have stumped to substantial loss in a matter of 4 years, a huge pendulum swing?
Prime Minister Badawi has to shoulder the responsibility as the BN leader that has led the coalition to its first two-thirds majority loss in its entire history. He won a huge mandate in the 2004 elections, by promising to be a PM to all Malaysians, by promising to act on corruption and reduce excess spending, by promising to improve the civil service. But he failed to deliver - crime became more rampant; there was no open tender of projects; virtually no convictions for exposed cases of corruption. He said he is a PM to all Malaysians, yet engage in a scare tactic to cower Chinese and Indian to vote for MCA and MIC, otherwise, their voice will be lost in the Cabinet, and hence, excluded from decision-making that will affect their livelihoods.
Malaysians did give PM Badawi more time to fulfil his promises. We still elected BN into government in this 2008 elections. However, this time, we are telling the BN party, we want to see results this time. No more empty rhetoric. No more arrogance that we should be told what is best for us. Whether we are Malays, Indians or Chinese, we want to see transparency; tolerance and respect in the way Malaysia is governed.
It is a healthy development for Malaysian politics. 8th March 2008 is a day I will remember forever. It is the day my faith in Malaysia is restored. It is the day where I smiled even though I haven’t slept in the last 22 hours, knowing my daughters can look forward to a brighter future in Malaysia. It is the day, where we the Malaysian rakyat finally did something which the ruling party BN has preach but never practice religiously, that it is just possible, for the Malays, Chinese and Indians, to find a common voice in order to achieve a common good that transcends race and religion. This is not so much a defeat for the ruling BN, or a win for the opposition. It is a victory for Malaysian politics – for all Malaysians.
It is a glorious day.
Malaysians today can proudly proclaim that their thunderous message can be heard through-out the entire country. No more political hegemony. No more race-based politics. The opposition coalition, led by the multi-racial Party Keadilan Rakyat, has delivered a huge blow to the seemingly invincible two-thirds Parliamentary majority that has been held by the ruling party for so long.
BN has only itself to blame. This time, its substantial loss of seats is not due to one particular race switching to the opposition camp. Malays, Chinese and the Indians have indicated that PKR, DAP and PAS is a viable alternative coalition. How did the BN, from a formidable 90% majority in the 2004 elections, could have stumped to substantial loss in a matter of 4 years, a huge pendulum swing?
Prime Minister Badawi has to shoulder the responsibility as the BN leader that has led the coalition to its first two-thirds majority loss in its entire history. He won a huge mandate in the 2004 elections, by promising to be a PM to all Malaysians, by promising to act on corruption and reduce excess spending, by promising to improve the civil service. But he failed to deliver - crime became more rampant; there was no open tender of projects; virtually no convictions for exposed cases of corruption. He said he is a PM to all Malaysians, yet engage in a scare tactic to cower Chinese and Indian to vote for MCA and MIC, otherwise, their voice will be lost in the Cabinet, and hence, excluded from decision-making that will affect their livelihoods.
Malaysians did give PM Badawi more time to fulfil his promises. We still elected BN into government in this 2008 elections. However, this time, we are telling the BN party, we want to see results this time. No more empty rhetoric. No more arrogance that we should be told what is best for us. Whether we are Malays, Indians or Chinese, we want to see transparency; tolerance and respect in the way Malaysia is governed.
It is a healthy development for Malaysian politics. 8th March 2008 is a day I will remember forever. It is the day my faith in Malaysia is restored. It is the day where I smiled even though I haven’t slept in the last 22 hours, knowing my daughters can look forward to a brighter future in Malaysia. It is the day, where we the Malaysian rakyat finally did something which the ruling party BN has preach but never practice religiously, that it is just possible, for the Malays, Chinese and Indians, to find a common voice in order to achieve a common good that transcends race and religion. This is not so much a defeat for the ruling BN, or a win for the opposition. It is a victory for Malaysian politics – for all Malaysians.
It is a glorious day.
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