Parliament and civil society: the voice of the rakyat?

MALAYSIAN parliamentary democracy ought to be the legacy of vast and diverse experiences: Westminster traditions, international best practices and a local narrative of constitutionalism that spans the nascent ideas of rule of law expressed in the Terengganu Inscription Stone of 1326, the adat of Negeri Sembilan that incorporated elections and decentralisation and the Laws of Malacca that enabled free trade prosperity. When opening our current Parliament building in 1963 the third Yang diPertuanAgong hoped that “this building symbolises our highest ideals of democracy.”

In recent years, Malaysian civil society has grown in stature and influence. Over the past decade IDEAS has developed relationships with government ministers, political parties, civil servants, academics, students and the public at large. Our research topics have encompassed anti- corruption, asset declaration, freedom of information, healthcare, property rights, transport, aviation, GLC reform, institution-building, food security, energy, ASEAN and of course education and the rights of children and refugees, particularly through our two special projects: IDEAS Academy which teaches the IGCSE curriculum to underprivileged students, and the IDEAS Autism Centre which provides early intervention care for autistic children.

Much of this work has been shared with policymakers and many of our recommendations have appeared in election manifestoes. However, no single organisation can take credit: many advocate similar reforms from different standpoints and on other issues including protecting local communities, the environment, gender equality and animal welfare. Furthermore, the interest towards civil society causes from public listed companies, educational institutions, charitable foundations, sports associations and cultural bodies has been amplified: from supporting Orang Asli communities to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Since the fourteenth general election, civil society will now be further strengthened as a permanent feature of Malaysian democracy. The recent establishment of standing committees with legislative scrutiny roles will enable outside stakeholders to interact with parliamentarians in a structured way not hitherto done.

However, we cannot assume a consensus among civil society on all issues. Certainly there are differences in approach - for example, whether affordable housing should be built by the government directly, or through fiscal incentives to private companies - but also different visions for the country. Reading the very same Federal Constitution, some see a desire for division rather than a desire for unity.

Yet, the rise of populism and challenges to traditional institutions and national unity are a worldwide phenomenon: from the USA, the UK and Europe, especially France in recent weeks. Still, the rally in Paris last Saturday was more violent than that in Kuala Lumpur in which participants celebrated the government’s decision to not ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ( ICERD).

That decision is one of several promises reversed, delayed or downplayed in the face of public pressure. Thus, although Malaysia has bucked the trend in an age of populism in electing a government committed to institutional reform, the counterreactions to these efforts have been immense too.

This gives rise to a situation in which some CSOs will be asking the government to honour their manifesto commitments, while others will be asking the government to abandon them. The positive side of this is that public debate on contentious issues will become a normal feature of Malaysian democracy. The negative side is that passions can become heated and the threat of violence may surface. Check and balance institutions are essential to moderate this discourse.

In the long-term, civic education must play a much greater role, so that every citizen understands the words and intent behind the Federal Constitution, why we have the institutions we do, and what their roles and responsibilities are as citizens. The Minister of Education has already stated his intention to address this in schools, but parliament has a special role to play too. In particular, school children should be able to come and witness the workings of parliament, at least when there aren’t shouting matches or members being ejected.

Indeed, members of the Dewan Rakyat and indeed Dewan Negara now have an opportunity to show that they understand their roles as parliamentarians above their roles as party members. In the words of the fi rst Yang diPertuanAgong in his fi rst Royal Address to Parliament, “we urge all of you to approach your deliberations as law-makers in the highest spirit of dedicated service to our nation... to remember that you are the representatives of all the people without exception... to be a shining beacon of democracy at its brightest and best.”

Parliament and civil society, both claiming to represent the voice of the rakyat, should work together to achieve that royal command.

Adapted from the inaugural lecture of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s Lecture Series delivered by the writer