BE HUMBLE: You're only a minority govt, not an authoritarian govt - Guan Eng tells BN

Democracy gives power to the majority and respects the legitimate rights of the minority. Democracy does not give the minority to oppress the majority or else we will have the situation like the South Africa racist government practicing apartheid in repressing the majority black population.

In Malaysia no opposition coalition has ever won more popular vote than BN nor won more than 50% of the popular vote. This has allowed BN to conduct a gerrymandering exercise that allowed BN to win more parliamentary seats than their popular vote.

By not respecting the principle of “one-person, one-vote, one-value”, BN has created injustices in one case where one BN vote can be equivalent to nearly 10 PR votes. This travesty of justice was demonstrated in Putrajaya with only 17,000 voters won by BN as compared to Kapar with nearly 160,000 voters won by PR.

As no other party had won more popular votes than BN since 1957, this contempt of democracy was only highlighted in the recent 2013 general elections when BN lost the popular vote for the first time in history. BN recorded only 47% of the popular vote to PR’s 51% but yet won 60% of the parliamentary seats to PR’s 40%.

In effect there is a minority Federal government, minority Prime Minister and minority Home Minister ruling Malaysia.

Behaving like an authoritarian govt

Despite PR winning the popular vote in the 2013 general elections, PR and DAP does not seek to overthrow the BN government. DAP and PR has always chosen a peaceful change of government in accordance with the Federal constitution.

However the BN government does not behave like a minority government but an authoritarian government. The recent arrests of 3 anti-BN leaders, PAS’ Tamrin Ghafar, PKR’s Tian Chua and NGO Haris Ibrahim and confiscation of PR’s party organ of PKR’s Suara Keadilan, PAS’ Harakah and DAP’s Rocket gives an eerie reminder of what had happened in Myanmar after the military rulers lost in the general elections.

In 1990 the democratic movement in Myanmar led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Syu Kyi won the general elections with 80% of the seats but was not allowed to take power and the generals took over with a harsh military rule that violated basic human rights. The harsh crackdown in Malaysia now imposed by two hardliners who were newly appointed as the new Home Minister and Inspector General of Police is a timely reminder to prevent Malaysia descending down this perilous path.

As we celebrate Wesak Day with full compassion for all, we must also say “No” to this latest attempt to stifle dissent the voices of conscience. Malaysians of all races and religions who voted for democracy, freedom, justice, truth and integrity must join together peacefully to prevent a new age of darkness. Malaysia must not by Myanmar 1990 revisited.

Lim Guan Eng is the Penang Chief Minister & DAP sec-gen