A few days ago our Yang Di Pertuan Agung, in announcing the decision to get all MPs to individually vote for their candidate to become Prime Minister, he also stated that he wanted an end to the politics of hate and the politics of revenge.
Crude, selfish individual party based politics needed to give way to a new politics where the ‘winner did not win everything, the loser did not lose everything’. He expressly stated that he and his brother Rulers wanted to see a new political administration model that promoted politics of unity not division.
Our Agung stated what has been in the hearts and minds of millions of ordinary Malaysians who are fed-up with our politicians- politicians who keep talking about the welfare of the rakyat, but who act in their own selfish interests. These politicians represent the old model of divisive politics.
While the world battles the health crisis and its devastating impacts on life and livelihoods, Malaysians have had to endure an additional political crisis due to these self-serving politicians as well as the old model of selfish individual and party politics.
Hence, all loyal and sane Malaysians would support our Agung’s call- to the soon to be announced Prime Minister- that we need a new model to govern the country, at least for the next 12 months. Among the features of this Merdeka team and new model are:
1. The new Merdeka cabinet/team must be a slim and trim one made up of capable and qualified people. The rakyat should say a clear NO WAY to any bloated cabinet as we had in the past. It was so refreshing to hear this point being made by so many concerned individuals and NGOs, including an UMNO youth leader this morning. A few other level headed politicians that I heard myself from PKR, DAP and Warisan have also said the same.
2. The new Merdeka cabinet/team should be a cross party team. Whether this means actually appointing opposition party MPs as Ministers or to get more cross party committees are details that can be discussed in detail. This idea of a unity government or Merdeka team is not new. It has been voiced for months by individuals, NGOs as well as some politicians. It was heartening to see the recent article by Emir Research that outlined features of this Unity government. No sane or loyal Malaysian would disagree with these points looking at the dangerous condition that we find ourselves in.
3. The new Merdeka cabinet/team should bring in professionals and genuine experts to lead in the execution of plans to resolve our health challenges as well as economic pressures. Again, this suggestion is not new and was even agreed to by the previous government. However, what we saw was unclear direction and changing policies that just created greater confusion.
4. The new Merdeka cabinet/team should address governance and legal reforms. These reforms would be very important as we prepare for GE15. Role of parliamentary committees, an anti-hopping law, an equal allocation of funding to all parliamentarians, some ‘upgrading courses’ and basic ‘entry requirements and KPIs’ for our MPs are just some that come to mind. Many more can be listed.
5. The new Merdeka cabinet/team will instil confidence in the rakyat and also investors. As we have seen the old model of divisive politics has led to a very serious economic crisis. While false impressions are given on the Q2 performance (comparing it to Q2 2020), the real state of the economy is dire. Poverty incidence has risen, income and wages have fallen, micro and small businesses have closed down and many more are in ICU, EPF savings have been taken out and investment is at an all time low. Old divisive politics and incompetent management of economic policy is to blame. A new Merdeka team will give more confidence to everyone since we will be utilising all the ‘good people’ in Parliament and professionals.
While these positive inputs echoing our Agung’s views should be heeded, unfortunately, we also hear many politicians from the old divisive party politics system who are already jostling for posts and positions and say that the new PM has to make sure that he takes care of those who supported him! Worse still, we have ‘experts’ and ‘political analysts’ who seem to want to perpetuate this old divisive model.
Let us hope and pray that our Agung and his brother Rulers will make it crystal clear that Malaysia must have nothing less than a new deal. Let them reiterate their views that the new PM must reach out to the other side, must work for a genuine Malaysian Merdeka team. As we come closer to our Hari Merdeka of 31st August and Hari Malaysia on September 16th, let us embrace our Agung’s wish. It will truly be a Merdeka gift to all Malaysians.
* Mohamed Aslam Haneef is a Professor, Department of Economics, IIUM.
** This article holds the view of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Astro AWANI editorial board.
Mohamed Aslam Haneef
Fri Aug 20 2021
Our Agong stated what has been in the hearts and minds of millions of ordinary Malaysians who are fed-up with our politicians- politicians who keep talking about the welfare of the rakyat. Istana Negara Photo
Bangkai pesawat MH17 tanpa sayap imbau kekejaman tragedi menyayat hati
Keadaan serpihan pesawat MH17 Malaysia Airlines (MAS) yang cuba dibina semula tanpa sayap, tayar, ekor dan tempat duduk penumpang cukup menggerunkan sekali gus mengingatkan pada kekejaman yang meragut
VOP akan diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan - Ahmad
Pelaksanaan Syarat Perubahan Harga (VOP) susulan penyasaran subsidi diesel dijangka diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan lagi, kata Timbalan Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Industri minyak sawit disaran guna semula sisa untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan - Liew
Industri minyak sawit perlu mengkaji penggunaan semula sisa sebagai stok suapan penting untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan (SAF), di luar penggunaan tradisional minyak sawit.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab.
MAA semak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan 2024 kepada 765,000 unit
Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA) telah menyemak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan bermotor baharu bagi 2024 kepada 765,000 unit daripada anggaran sebelumnya sebanyak 740,000 unit.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya.
Rasionalisasi RON95 dijangka beri impak lebih besar kepada PKS - SAMENTA
SAMENTA menjangkakan rasionalisasi RON95 akan memberi impak yang lebih besar kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berbanding pelarasan subsidi diesel.
Malaysia sasar pengeluaran 40 peratus sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030
Malaysia menyasarkan pengeluaran 40 peratus hasil sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030 dalam usaha membantu mengimbangi keperluan perikanan negara.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp
Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) memberi tempoh tiga bulan kepada Perbadanan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (HRD Corp) untuk mengemukakan laporan tindakan susulan terhadap syor jawatankuasa itu.
PRK Pelangai: Siapa pun calon, dia wakili parti - Ismail Sabri
Ismail Sabri berkata, tidak sepatutnya timbul isu berhubung siapa yang dipilih bertanding kerana pada akhirnya, calon itu akan tetap membawa nama dan imej parti.
Pinda Akta DBP, beri kuasa ambil tindakan salah guna bahasa Melayu - Ismail Sabri
Ismail Sabri berkata, perkara itu merupakan sebahagian daripada usaha semasa pentadbirannya, namun tidak sempat dilaksanakan disebabkan pertukaran Kerajaan.
Tidak bersara, Ismail Sabri akan terus aktif politik walaupun bukan lagi Naib Presiden
Ismail Sabri berkata beliau juga akan kekal menjalankan tanggungjawab sebagai Ketua UMNO Bahagian Bera selepas menang tanpa bertanding.
Kerajaan 'caretaker' bersidang seperti biasa, bentang bajet mini untuk gaji penjawat awam
Kerajaan semasa akan kekal sebagai kerajaan caretaker sekiranya tiada mana-mana parti membentuk kerajaan dalam masa terdekat ini.
Pasca PRU15: 'BN tak sokong mana-mana gabungan bentuk kerajaan' - Ismail Sabri
Dewan Tertinggi Barisan Nasional (BN) telah membuat keputusan untuk tidak menyokong mana-mana gabungan untuk membentuk kerajaan.
PRU15: Ismail Sabri tiba di Istana Negara
Tujuan sesi menghadap antara Perdana Menteri dan Yang di-Pertuan Agong berkenaan masih menjadi tanda tanya.
MH17: Malaysia berpuas hati dan sokong keputusan Mahkamah The Hague - PM
Malaysia sentiasa berpendirian bahawa perbicaraan yang dijalankan mesti berlandaskan kebenaran, keadilan dan tanggungjawab.
PRU15: 'Deklarasi Profesor Melayu G70 sokong Anwar' tidak wakili MPN - Ismail Sabri
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Presiden MPN sendiri, Profesor Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose ketika dihubunginya pada Rabu.
Banjir: Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri seluruh negara telah diaktifkan - PM
Ismail Sabri berkata, fokus gerak kerja di peringkat negeri dan daerah telah bersiap sedia untuk menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan.
PRU15: 'Saya masih calon PM untuk BN, tiada perubahan' - Ismail Sabri
Jelas Ismail Sabri, tiada perubahan mengenai keputusan yang telah dibuat BN sebelum ini.