Kit Siang: Malaysian Spring in the offing

PETALING JAYA: DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang says the people can expect what he termed as a “Malaysian Spring” with various historic parliamentary reforms to unfold.

The Iskandar Puteri MP said the impending opening of the 14th Parliament on July 16 would pave the way for changes, adding that Pakatan Harapan’s general election triumph on May 9 would not end up in disaster as the Arab Spring.

(The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across the Middle East in Dec 2010).

“Malaysians who want a New Malaysia must learn the lessons as to why the Arab Spring went terribly wrong – the catastrophic absence and failure of institutional changes to build on and fulfil the hopes of the people for meaningful change in their societies.

“That is why the first meeting of the 14th Parliament from July 16 to Aug 16, 2018, is crucial in laying the foundation stone for a new Malaysia,” he said yesterday.

Two weeks after the adjournment of Parliament, there will be Malaysia’s 61st National Day celebrations on Aug 31. Two weeks after that on Sept 16 will be the 55th Malaysia Day celebrations.

Lim said Malaysians will be able to celebrate a new Malaysia on the 61st National Day on Aug 31, and 55th Malaysia Day on Sept 16 with historic parliamentary reforms and decisions.

“Both events are historic occasions for the new Pakatan government to showcase what is in store for Malaysians to start anew the nationbuilding process to achieve the Malaysian Dream for Malaysia to be a worldclass nation,” he said.