Happy with government despite missteps
AFTER a year in office and in spite of several missteps, missed targets and maladroit moves, it cannot be denied that the smooth and peaceful emergence of the Pakatan Harapan government was the best thing that happened to Malaysia in a very long time.
Malaysia is back on the path of being South-East Asia’s brightest star in terms of managing change in a peaceful and democratic way. In the 1970s, we were in a somewhat similar position, surrounded by either undisguised authoritarianism or military-martial law systems.
It is remarkable that at least two of our bigger neighbours have embraced the basic principles of democracy and open political dissent. We are today in a much kinder Asean regional environment.
It is a full year since Malaysia took unequivocal steps to end almost a decade of unbridled kleptocracy. The most recent forfeiture actions to recover more than one billion ringgit of assets are noteworthy.
Most significantly, the Pakatan government has been successful in bringing about a reaffirmation and reinstatement of time-honoured values like hard work, honesty and integrity in our public and private domains.
Undoubtedly, this would be the ingredient that would contribute to greater national unity by addressing issues relating to income inequality, the geographical divide, rural-urban differences and the rights and responsibilities of the majority and the minorities.
It has become abundantly clear that when the playing field is level, there will be openings and opportunities for everyone. The new government has to monitor the situation closely so that sizeable sections of all communities would feel included and are able to participate in economic activities.
The government must apportion more assets and soft power to explain its policies and the principles it operates on. It has done badly in this regard in the past year. The media’s role in promoting investigative journalism and openness and transparency in the public domain has to be encouraged and welcomed.
Malaysia has, in the past year, moved up to the top spot in the press freedom index in South-East Asia. Admittedly, at its current 122nd place, it still has long way to go, but a good start has been made.
Most of us would appreciate the stand taken by the government in promoting human rights in general and would urge the government to continue efforts to make Malaysia a signatory, with reservations if needed, to all the United Nations conventions in force.
The most recent appointments of the new Chief Justice and IGP signal a substantial rather than symbolic break from the opacity and arbitrariness of a lost decade.
The rebooting of the civil service must be continued so that Malaysians are assured of impartial, efficient, equal and unbiased service.
Our publicly-funded health and medical service is the best in SouthEast Asia and operates on a not-forprofit basis. A short sojourn in Hospital Kuala Lumpur has shown me that the professionalism, dedication and caring nature of our specialists, medical officers, nursing and supporting staff are most impressive.
But I was shocked to discover that many of these specialists are not quite there or are in the lowest rungs of the civil service premier grade (Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam or Jusa) hierarchy.
The Public Service Department has an obligation to ensure that our professionals in the medical, health, engineering, law, academic and other specialised fields are amply rewarded so that this talent pool is retained and recognised.
The education system and its deservedly bad image is a cause of concern for all. After a year of stocktaking and evaluation, there is an obligation to proceed cautiously on revamping the entire system. We cannot be a number one democracy in South-East Asia if we do not address the weaknesses in our education system.
A Cabinet minister alluded some weeks ago to a reactionary “deep state” clique, which suggests influence bordering on iniquity in almost all branches of the our polity. There is a need to identify these people and re-educate them to embrace the change that the Pakatan government embodies.
The stand taken by the government in protecting and promoting workers’ rights has to be followed up with the promulgation of new laws and implementation of better enforcement and monitoring mechanisms. The importance given to the plight of our workers during the recent Labour Day commemoration is unprecedented in our country.
Obviously, the perennially very low wage structure derived from the colonial mercantile era is unsustainable
That our beautiful country has become a dumping ground for plastic and other toxic waste is a classic sideshow of the former Malaysia. The mechanisms that allowed for these surreptitious acts of treason have to be dismantled and the criminals involved prosecuted. Penalties for such activities must also be enhanced.
Generally, I am happy that Pakatan, in spite of persistent reports about its declining popularity, has not experienced any defections from its ranks. Instead, accretions it has had, especially in its parliamentary strength, are a sign of strength, not weakness.
Amazingly, it has survived frequent, ferocious friendly fire and continues to function more fully rather than fitfully.
Most of us may not readily acknowledge this, but rather unobtrusively from May 10 last year, state authority is not based on coercion but more on consensus and the consent of the people.
For instance, the authorities did not bring out water cannons to break up the orchestrated agitation against the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination!
For the corrupt, serial lawbreakers, the wealthy who can’t explain their inordinate good fortune and tax evaders, the Pakatan government would prove irksome. That is not a bad thing. There should be no respite in the fight against corruption and abuse of office.