`


THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ALLAH
read:
MALAYSIA Tanah Tumpah Darahku

LOVE MALAYSIA!!!


 


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Machiavellianism: Political doctrine or pasta, will it die with Umno & Dr M in GE13?


Machiavellianism: Political doctrine or pasta, will it die with Umno & Dr M in GE13?
"If BN is defeated in the elections, will it hand over the power peacefully?"
This question has over the years remained very much an embedded part of us, like a surgical knife left inside the body of a patient by an absent-minded surgeon.
The patient feels that something is wrong somewhere but the surgeon finds it hard to disclose the truth
It will necessitate yet another risky operation to get the foreign object out of the body, but to ignore it, we have to face the possibility of complications besides intolerable pain.
This has developed into a major taboo in the Malaysian politics, which must somehow be laid under the sun for democratic scrutiny.
I have debated over this with countless of people in the past.
To be honest with you, most people think "No way" and I am one of the very few who believe power transition could be effectuated peacefully.
Most people feel BN would resort to all sorts of dirty tricks, including non-peaceful means, to keep itself in power.
Umno's own power structure
A friend familiar with the Malaysian politics contended that Umno's power structure resembled or even exceeded that of the Communist Party of China. He said the CPC was party, administration and military rolled into one whereby our Umno was party, administration, military, police and economy all five rolled into one!
Such a tiered power intricacy has made it impossible for Umno to relinquish its power, and Umno has the ability to perpetuate its power through extra-electoral means.
My friend's viewpoint has been based largely on the foundation of Machiavellianism which denies the relevance of morality in politics and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political power.
What a dreadful and dangerous political statement.
Political doctrine or pasta?
Although most people, politicians or otherwise, have no idea whether Machiavelli is a kind of Italian pasta or a political doctrinist, but the Machiavellian gene has penetrated deep into their value systems.
I am no supporter of Machiavellianism, and have actually resisted it from the moment I started to come into contact with political doctrines.
If we all still subscribe to Machiavellianism today, our society will remain very much in the age of despotic autocracy. There wouldn't have been Rousseau, Montesquieu, Milton and other great thinkers who gave rise to democracy and liberal thinking.
As for me, I am a firm believer of the power of democracy and functionality of elections. The decisions made by the people through ballots must be final and binding. No forces of any kind shall defy them.
Have we reached a safe enough level?
Malaysia's democracy has ascended to a certain level by now. Although our electoral system is still short of perfection, it has reached certain credibility having gone through the test of time for the past half a century.
Moreover, anyone attempting to overrule the power of the masses is bound to pay an enormous price for his folly. Just take a look at the public uprising in the Jasmine incident, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, and Ben Ali of Tunisia.
In addition, Malaysia is an open society that relies heavily on external trade and foreign investments. Any contravention to electoral outcome would only deal a fatal blow on our economy.
The last successor of Machiavellianism in Malaysia should have been wound up post-Mahathir. No military nor violent forces have intercepted the country's administration during our half a century of nationhood, and such tradition must not change, now or ever.
Perhaps Anwar Ibrahim lacks faith in our democratic institution that he has to field several retired army generals in the upcoming general elections.
Now that Najib has made his proclamation, Malaysians should be able to cast their votes on their own accord free from any intimidation or pressure.
Similarly, states currently held by Pakatan must also be committed to peaceful handover of power in the event of possible power transition.
Thanks to the pledges and commitment to the same by both parties, democracy has made a significant stride forward in Malaysia.
-Sin Chew Daily

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.