Pakatan has been criticized for not making its governance model comprehensive and transparent. This has resulted in the newly minted coalition being called a 'fly-by-night' operation.
The coalition has responded quite positively to the criticism and has unveiled for the first time its stand on several important key areas at their maiden convention. However, some highly anticipated issues such as local council election, Freedom of Information Act, and the status of secular Malaysia are left undefined.
Some good policy announcements include the much needed decentralisation of economy planning and management at the state government level. This move will allow state governments more control over their own economy and investment planning and promotion. Malaysia's economic development is long hampered by inefficient and ineffective over centralisation at the federal government.
Economic Planning Unit and several ministries responsible for socio-economic development have done very little to push up the efficiency, vibrancy and productivity of our economic sectors. Over centralisation also breeds corruption. Overlap in decision making between ministries has resulted in unnecessary bureaucracy.
The move to decentralise the economy is a plus point for the Pakatan.
The coalition has promised to implement the Equal Opportunity Act and to provide help and assistance based on need not race. This is a good move and will help to retain capable people in the country. Affirmative action based on race is the sole main push factor for brain drain in the country.
Rightly, the coalition has decided to empower the parliament, which is still a rubber stamp of the ruling executives, by making GLCs and public institutions accountable to the august house. The outcome will be positive for all parliamentarians. If needed, they can form special committees to probe and enquire about certain policy decisions taken by these GLCs and institutions. The move will allow for better parliamentary transparency.
Parliamentarians will have to be more educated and informed on issues and policies Malaysia's main problem is unqualified and low value added people are being voted into parliament while the capable ones are staying away from politics.
It is comforting to know that the coalition has pledged to implement the IPCMC, Judicial Appointment Commission and help to address the overlap between civil and syariah law. The leaders must also pledge to stay away from interfering with the jurisdiction and work of these independent institutions in the future. The political nexus between political parties and these institutions must be severed permanently.
Other key areas:
Healthcare - Establishing a National Heath Commission to improve public healthcare.
Women - Ensuring 30 percent representation at the government's decision-making level.
Police - Establishing the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.
Culture - Liberalising restriction on performances by artistes. (Personally, I am glad this is included in the policy statement. Currently, the whole permit application process is riddled with redtape and corruption)
Language - Promoting Bahasa Malaysia as the regional lingua franca but protecting mother tongue languages.
Labour - Minimum wage policy.
Social security - Establishing a National Retrenchment Fund.
Elections - Redelineation of electoral boundaries to fulfil concept of 'one person, one vote'.
Public transport - Study the possibility of buying back North-South Highway and renegotiating highway concessions to reduce toll prices.
Media - Amending the Printing Presses and Publishing Act to ensure media freedom.
This is a positive step forward for Pakatan. I hope more of us will keep a copy of their pledges and make sure that Pakatan leaders walk the talk.
Unfortunately, there is no indication of further democratisation through local council election. This is a grey area. Some had defended Pakatan's lack of action by claiming that this can only be implemented by the federal government.
This is not necessarily true. The state government should study the legal and constitutional provision for a local council election. Local councils are under the control of state government.
Hence, I support the call of both Haris Ibrahim and Wong Chin Huat for an immediate action to allow real democratisation to happen. Pakatan's pledges are just pledges. Most of these pledges cannot be implemented unless they win federal power. We know what to believe and take home from these pledges.
What's more important is still what the Pakatan led state governments can do within their own jurisdiction. It is time for them to push the envelope and to test the legal provision on local council election.
They can still be outperformed by Najib's administration. BN can make and implement these pledges immediately. At the end, voters will still support a coalition which can make things happen and enhance their living standards.
5 comments:
"At the end, voters will still support a coalition which can make things happen and enhance their living standards."
No Sir, that's not all. As long as UMNO calls the shots and controls the Judiciary, Police, AG, MACC, EC and abuses power I won't vote for BN.
I would give my vote to Pakatan and give them one term to prove their worth.
No more BN, no matter what they promise, even if they promise heaven and earth.
I am almost 60 and self employed for the past 25 yrs. Have been paying tax faithfully every year. But i don'nt get a single cent or help from goverment. My children educations are all from my sweat money. My youngest daughter scored 12 As but denied scholoship. Have to sell my house to send her oversea. No matter what BN say or do,I will not vote him. All of them are just sweet talk. No action, talk is cheap. Taking us all fool.
all in all, this is a good start. in fact a big leap forward. nothing is perfect, especially in coalition politics where compromises have to be made to accomodate each member's ideology.
but focus on the mission statement. pr strives for the betterment of every malaysian. umno/bn strives to line its napoleons/cronies pockets with gold. umno/bn only wants to spend $$$ and build ever mega structures so $$$ can be channelled into their pockets. such extravagance mean everything is going to cost more and more and the value of everyone's purchasing power gets devalued.
of course there is more work to be done. pr should continue to work on a solution for unfinished agenda such as local council elections, etc.
but what is important is with such a 1st step getting established, it gives pr a platform to attract like-minded talents to join them to fight the cause. a good plus for brain gain.
while pr personalities like ai, zaid, lge, and tgna work tirelessly to build a constructive united malaysia, bn/umno go around championing divisive & destructive policies like ketuanan melayu, gst to tax the poor, give carte blance to cronies to raise electricity tariffs, toll rates, water charges wantonly.
so what is there to lose to support a 2-party system? what rubbish 1malaysia, 1barisan.
The BN parliamentarians should also support Pakatan policies if they have any balls. It is self-empowering themselves and taking power from hand of the Chief executive. We all know what such power can do when it is in the wrong hand. It turns the Chief Executive into a despot and it breeds corruption. We have plenty of examples. But knowing them, none will dare make a stand.
Alibaba
if the voters give Pakatan the federalship, would that be an incentive for Barisan to really change for the good?
that, is worth thinking about
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