Form policy-orientated shadow cabinet – MP
KOTA KINABALU: United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau has called upon Parliamentary Opposition Leader (POL) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to form a shadow cabinet to offer Malaysians concrete policy ideas on the pandemic, economy, sustainable development, technological advancements, national reconciliation and institutional reforms.
“In 2021, Pakatan Harapan (PH) Plus must remake itself from ‘number-orientated’ to ‘policy-orientated’. PH Plus must boldly admit its core strategic mistake since February: focusing on recapturing federal power with defection from PN-BN’s camp,” said Madius in a statement yesterday.
He said this has prevented PH Plus from both refining and building on its policy agenda in the 22 months in Putrajaya and capitalizing a talent pool of 20 ministers and 19 deputy ministers and many others who have served as ministers during BN’s time.
“Worst, as the Malay proverb said, ‘yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran’ (missing what is being pursued and losing what is already in possession), the goal of recapturing power did not unite PH but split it even more. Our top leaders fight over who should be the next Prime Minister before it is anywhere near reality,” he continued.
“All in all, recapturing power instead of offering better policies has allowed PN-BN’s propagandists to paint PH as power-crazy and conceal worse infightings in PN. This has greatly hurt many PH Plus supporters. If PH Plus does not change, these voters may just stay home in GE15,” he said.
Madius, who is also Tuaran Member of Parliament welcomed and supported the candid call by both President of National Trust Party (Amanah) Mohamad Sabu and Secretary-General of Democratic Action Party (DAP) Lim Guan Eng for PH to stop ‘wasting time on opportunistic government backbenchers.’
“In resetting PH Plus, we need the resolve to stay in Opposition before GE15 and strive to be the most competent and trustable Opposition Malaysians have ever seen such that they will trust us to manage the country after GE15.
“Instead of fighting again over who should be the next prime minister, we need a Parliamentary Opposition Leader who can form and lead a functioning shadow cabinet.”
Madius suggested that the Shadow Cabinet must/should:
(a) be diverse and inclusive in terms of ethno-religious communities, region, gender, age cohorts and parties, so that all Malaysians can identify with it;
(b) meet weekly – over Zoom if not in person - as the real Cabinet so that all PH Plus parties can have coordinated positions on whatever national issues;
(c) have quarterly or even monthly meetings with the MBs and CM of Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan and shadow MBs/ CMs in other states;
(d) groom PH backbenchers to develop their portfolio focus, as the preparation for next generation of ministers;
(e) prepare PH Plus’ shadow budget six months before the next Budget Day and involve stakeholders and ordinary citizens;
(f) be assisted by a network of technocrats and experts to help in formulating and finetuning policies;
(g) excite Malaysians by showing how politics can be professional, competent and respectable, at least on one side of the divide.
“In the committee stage of Budget 2021, I have tabled four sets of motions to cut unjustified spending and to reallocate them for better use. Unfortunately, most of the motions were rejected by the Speaker on questionable technicalities,” he said.
“In my attempts to protect Malaysian taxpayers’ hardearned money and support needy Malaysians in all the overlooked corners, I felt strongly the need for division of labour amongst Opposition MPs. Had PH Plus produced a shadow budget as Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan did from 2011 to 2017, we would have been able to demonstrate and convince Malaysians how the country can be better run than how PN is doing it.”
He called upon Anwar and top leaders of all PH Plus parties to sit down and start the discussion on shadow cabinet and greet Malaysians on 1 January 2021 with a credible lineup.
Madius also called upon his colleagues in PH Plus to humbly listen to Malaysians’ yearning for an effective and competent opposition that can outdo the Government with better policies.
“If we can do that, we will have a formidable and convincing majority in GE15.
“Personally, as the MP of Tuaran and President of Upko, I apologize to all Malaysians who have trusted us for not doing enough. We will work harder for a stronger Opposition and a rebounding Malaysia in 2021,” he said.