Malaysian Politics

Editor's Comment - Our sole Malaysian subscripient, Jun Hsien Lee, kindly volunteered to write an article for our website. After a discussion about what he should actually write and talk to us about, I felt that politics would be a subject that interests a wide audience of the PC, so in this time of Economic crisis, Lee gives us more of an insight as to what is going on in the wider world. Enjoy!

Note: In Malaysia, there are only two prevailing, dominant parties, namely the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Last year in March, during the general election, there was an almost landslide victory in favor of Pakatan Rakyat. This victory has changed the political scenario in Malaysia, making PR from being the less dominant, minor party to almost being government.

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The message from the rakyat (citizens) of Malaysia was clear – they had had enough of corruption, white-collar crimes and false promises. What they really wanted was a change, a true change that’d better their lives and those of their grandchildren.

To say that politics in Malaysia is complicated would be an understatement. For one, Malaysia is a multiracial country, founded by our forefathers who fought tirelessly against the British occupation to gain independence. It is a country bonded by fragile relations, compromising, and on mutual respect towards different culture and religion. (Out-of-topic note : It is believed that Malaysia has among the highest number of holidays due to its celebration of all multicultural festivals).

The then-Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi (now Tun, an equivalent to “knight” status in Europe ) has then accepted the lost graciously and promised to pass over his duty to the-now Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib.

Najib (The 6th PM of Malaysia) officially took office on April the 3rd, and started a myriad of to-do lists in office, of it which includes wiping out corruption, tackling snatch thefts and among the more prominent one is by proposing to have a 1 Malaysia.

So what is then, 1 Malaysia? According to Najib himself, simply put, 1Malaysia is a country where all of us live in harmoniously without segregating or discriminating against any race or religion, or even political party. It is certainly an ambitious goal given the recent record that local politicians are known to play the race card.

While the PM’s move is plausible, a concept that does not have a time limit or clear milestone, and an end product that remains vague, is something that many disapprove of. Especially in this hard trying time where recession is at large and a depression may even be at sight, what the normal citizen wants is all but a steady living and job comfort.

But among the most extreme of cynics, there is however a small group that still believes, that despite all odds, a 1Malaysia could be achieved. It is all but a matter of time, a matter of compromising and of tolerance. Otherwise, we will forever be groping in the dark and the ideals of 1 Malaysia will perpetually elude us.

P.s : For more info on 1Malaysia, feel free to visit its official website at www.1malaysia.com.my/

Lee