May 9, 2018, will be long remembered as a most momentous day in the history of Malaysia. Momentous because it showed that democracy could still work, even under a repressive government and environment.
On that day, against all odds and defying all popular expectations, the people of Malaysia managed to set aside their differences to rise up and vote for change by giving the mandate to Pakatan Harapan – led by the 93-year-old Dr Mahathir Mohamad – to rule the nation. They cast their votes at the polling booths to bring down a very powerful government, whose Umno-led coalition had ruled the nation for more than six decades without any interruption. This was achieved without any bloodshed, anarchy or chaos.
There is no mistaking the fact that the people had voted for a better and safer Malaysia. They want to move away from the toxic politics and corrupt practices of the previous governments, to build a new narrative in a nation deeply divided by religious bigotry and racial chauvinism.
Taking stock of 2018 and the new PH government
The PH government is now only about seven months old. The general verdict is that the results it has achieved so far is mixed between success and failure, achievements and shortfalls.
The new government has delivered on some of its promises, especially in debt and fiscal management, fighting the scourge of corruption and instituting reforms in the key institutions of government.
These are works-in-progress and, therefore, are expected to be pursued in earnest in 2019 and thereafter.
Looking at the survey results from research centres such as Merdeka Center, IDEAS and so forth, the public’s perception and approval of the government, especially of Dr Mahathir, have been positive even though there exists some areas of deep concern in the governance of the nation.
The World Bank has also given good grades to the government for restoring faith and confidence in the nation with a slew of good economic and fiscal policies. At the same time Bloomberg has placed the country on top of the list among the emerging Asian markets. It must also be noted that the results of four by-elections held after the 14th general election (GE14) were also decidedly in favour of PH.
But there remain many unfulfilled election promises. The high cost of living continues to be a huge bane for the people. The world economy is reeling under great pressure from the trade war between the superpowers and, if left unresolved, is bound to spill over to our shores.
The ugly politics of race and religious bigotry continues to cause fissures and divisions in our society. Gutter politics with its share of fake news, spin, lies and deception dominate the daily proceedings. National unity remains as elusive as ever. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) controversy culminating in the huge Dec 12 anti-ICERD rally and the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple fracas that led to the death of fireman Adib are stark reminders of the state of division in our nation.
Having a government which is characterised by constant bickering between its component parties and inexperienced ministers does not help either. We have Cabinet ministers who at times are seen as not working in unison in matters of governance. Instead we see some blurry and fuzzy-minded ministers going after one another in a game of one-upmanship. These immature leaders, who are seen as still wet behind the ears, need to be properly schooled in the art of governance and improve on their performance if they are not to overstay their welcome.
The leadership succession issue between Dr Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim will be closely watched and the two men are expected to act with probity towards one another so as to send a clear message to the public that the matter is already a done deal.
It has to be accepted, however, that whatever good the government does, it will not be able to placate and satisfy everybody. The enemies of PH will never be happy and they will stop at nothing to destabilise it. There are also now the naysayers and prophets of doom emerging from within our midst. They are all part and parcel of the dynamics of politics.
However it is noteworthy that an election expert, Prof Dr Redzuan Othman, made an observation in the aftermath of the anti-ICERD rally that the PH government was not under any immediate danger of being abandoned or forsaken by the people. But the ride ahead is going to be bumpy if the PH government fails to address the legitimate concerns of the people.
Of the media
Special mention needs to be made of the alternative press which played a most critical role in disseminating vital news and information to the public before and during GE14, much to the detriment of some of them. The Edge Weekly, for instance, suffered terribly when it was suspended for collaborating with Sarawak Report in exposing the 1MDB scandal. Sinar Harian, FMT and Malaysiakini all played their role as responsible media.
The mainstream dailies like the New Straits Times, Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian stuck to their role as government propaganda mouthpieces. Not surprisingly, they were roundly shunned by the public. The Star too was with the previous government and it is still decidedly pro-MCA and Umno-BN and has shown obvious disdain for PH. Its editorial and feature reports continue to show deep-rooted prejudices and cynicism of the new government.
The media are expected to continue to play a critical role in the New Malaysia and take full advantage of the liberal policies of the government towards media freedom. But the public will be expecting the media to live up to their ethics and professional integrity and play the role of a responsible Fourth Estate without fear or favour to help keep in check the other organs of the government.
Nation building and the promises of 2019
The government and people must work together in building and shaping the direction and destiny of the nation. Since we have given the mandate to Dr Mahathir and PH to run and manage the nation until the next general election, we need to give them the latitude and space to institute change and reform.
The new government has made and will make mistakes, missteps and faux pas along the way, but we cannot expect perfection or complete success so soon. We are not living in the utopian world of Shangri-la where things are in perfect order. We live in a real world with its share of hard truths, grim realities and gruelling challenges. But if we work together and remain focused on what is achievable under the circumstances, there is much that we can achieve.
Those who had voted for change in GE14 need to remember that they are in this together. It is early days yet and PH is still a work in progress. Yes, there are still many things left to be done.
Let us work together hand-in-hand with the government to create a prosperous and peaceful Malaysia. The fate of our children and future generations depends on us making the right decisions and choices.
Happy New Year everybody.
Wan Haron Wan Hassan is a senior practising lawyer, active in civil society movements.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.