'New' Cabinet - why should they be given any honeymoon period!

With a popular vote less than 50% of the total cast and the refusal of two component parties, the MCA and Gerakan, to join the cabinet, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has finally announced his new cabinet lineup. Overall, there is no big surprise from the lineup. However, two non-governmental organisation leaders, namely Transparency International Malaysia president Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan and Malayan Banking Bhd President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, have been unprecedentedly brought into the cabinet, resulting in a refreshing pattern.

However, the new cabinet has still left a tail, namely the Transport Minister post has been reserved for the MCA. Does it mean that there would be changes to the MCA's decision of not joining the cabinet? If the MCA insists not to accept any cabinet posts, the new cabinet will have only two Chinese, namely Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan who has been appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Datuk Mary Yap, appointed Deputy Education and Higher Learning Minister. Their performances would then become the focus of concern of the Chinese community.

In a stark contrast to the MCA, although the MIC's performance in the election was not impressive either, all its four elected MPs have been appointed as ministers or deputy ministers. Together with Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy who has been appointed a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Penang PPP chairman Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan who has been appointed the Deputy Federal Territories Minister, there is a total of six Indian representatives in the cabinet, setting another record.

For the Chinese community, whether to take the new cabinet line-up easy or with emotions, we must all face the reality. Under the new political power structure, the Chinese community needs to seek a new position and play the watchdog role properly to closely monitor each policy and its effectiveness while seeking for new countering ways and means to ensure that our basic interests are secured.

No honeymoon

In fact, compared to the Chinese community, the new government would have to face an even bigger challenge. The new government needs to meet the great expectations of the people while facing the unprecedented pressure from the alternative coalition that gained 51% popular vote in the recent election. The success or failure of Najib's transformation plans in the next five years, as well as whether he can effectively divert the dissatisfaction of Chinese voters or not will be the two major indicators used to assess the new government. They must be extra cautious as each move they make would be closely related to the fate of the BN in the next general election.

It means that there will be no honeymoon period at all for the new government and it would find it difficult even just to take a break. It must immediately start working and show some results as soon as possible. Moreover, the new government must be more careful than ever before to avoid committing any major errors.

The BN has made many commitments during the election campaign period and Najib has also promised the implementation of a national reconciliation programme to eliminate racism and extremism. Finding ways to honour these commitments and lead the country and the people towards a better tomorrow would be the new cabinet's top priority.

Times have changed after all. It is now an era when members of the public generally do not trust the government. It is an unavoidable world trend and governments are generally facing a governance crisis. Moreover, the BN has ruled for more than half a century and thus, arrogance has been nurtured. As a result, it has lost sensitivity towards public expectations and dissatisfaction. These are weaknesses that must be improved by the new cabinet.

The people might still hold the attitude of wait-and-see. In any case, a new cabinet that listens to the voices of the people while governing humbly, transparently and effectively will always be what the people want!

Mysinchew