The former activist, who was arrested during the ‘Ops Lalang’ of 1987, said this failure on their part had left the fate of the country solely in the hands of the people and not its politicians.

“The Opposition lacks political vision and organisation strategy. It can’t get its own act together even on basic matters.

“They are so focused on their own parties that they don’t mind sacrificing each other for their own interests,” said Irene at a talk entitled “Mahathirism vs Najibism.”

She cited the bitter dispute between PAS and DAP over the implementation of hudud in Kelantan that subsequently led to the demise of the Opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat.

Irene claimed that over the years, parties within Pakatan Rakyat had revealed their opportunistic nature by trading and bartering with one another for the sole purpose of achieving their individual goals.

Thus, she said, it was up to the people to unite to fulfil their own vision of the kind of nation they longed for.

“There’s always hope when the people are willing to speak up. We have seen this happen all around the world. One way or another, the people in other parts of the globe have successfully brought about the reforms they wanted.

“That element (willingness to speak up on issues close to their hearts) is still present in our country and that is our strength.”

She said unlike Singapore, Malaysians were still blessed with a free mind and had the ability to analyse all sorts of situations presented to them.

This, Irene stressed, was what would save Malaysians from the mess politicians from both sides of the divide had plunged the people into.

“Maybe it will take a long time but I still believe in the power of the people.”