COMMENT Two multi-party coalitions dominate the political scene in Malaysia.
The BN, now like a wounded tiger, as it is losing its grip on power after more than 50 years of political dominance.
The other, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, won the popular vote in the 13th general election and is impatient to take over power.
The battleground is a dangerous terrain of race, ethnicity and religion. The harmony and peace, once the pride of this terrain, is being threatened by the ruling elites fighting for their survival.
The ruling elites are not just the post-colonial bourgeoisie but include various shades of politicians, such as academicians and businesspeople in positions of power.
It is against this background that the Kajang by-election will be fought. The PKR strategy, as has been stated by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, is to bring Pakatan Rakyat closer to Putrajaya, the seat of power that is just 10km away from Kajang.
Distance, it seems, is an important factor as to who leads Malaysia. This should be food for thought for our political leaders from Sabah and Sarawak, who have been our partners in building the wealth and stability of this nation.
Social cleavages ignored
We are a nation that does not seem angered by social cleavages, the growing social inequalities and social injustices as a result of bad policies, corruption and challenges of a globalised economy.
We are more riled by religious and morality cleavages. New nationalistic groups are threatening the peace and harmony we have enjoyed as Malaysians of various races, ethnicity and freedom to worship as guaranteed by the federal constitution.
The social cleavage that shows the stark contrast between the rich and the poor in regard to access to resources within the society often does not command the attention of Malaysians, as compared with moral and religious cleavages.
As news of Anwar Ibrahim as the potential PKR candidate hit the news headlines, it raised the moral barometer which is keenly watched by BN politicians.
Sexual innuendos, not progressive policies for social justice or condemnation of corruption, have on several occasions grabbed the headlines.
Morality is an incendiary tool in the hands of politicians without morality to bring down opponents.
We need to be reminded that it is the politician without morality who resorts to using the incendiary tool of morality in disposing their political opponents.
Julius Caesar said, “ Those who speak passionately on the subject of morality are the least moral of all.”
Statesmanship lacking
Politicians are not necessarily statesmen, it has been said. Who among our current politicians are statesmen?
In addition to principles, a strong moral compass and vision, the Malaysian statesman must have ability for consensus-building that can sustain our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
We need to go beyond diversity. We need a statesman who will courageously say that pluralism is the way forward for this country.
We need statesmen like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi of India, Thomas Sankara of Burkino Faso, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Otto von Bismarck of Germany, Winston Churchill of United Kingdom, Camillo di Cavour of Italy and George Washington and Thomas Jefferson of the United States.
The candidates for the Kajang by-election can demonstrate statesmanship qualities in their election campaign speeches, discussions and in the paraphernalia to be displayed and distributed by the various political parties.
Kajang voters must say ‘no’ to posters, pamphlets and booklets that are more of pornographic materials, such as those distributed in the GE13.
Statesmen-like candidates do not need the Election Commission to remind them of the ethical boundaries of clean, free and fair elections. But then, is the Election Commission itself a paragon of virtue?
As Thomas Sankara said: “Democracy means using the full potential of the people. The ballot box and an electoral system do not prove the existence of democracy. There is no real democracy where those in power call elections from time to time and concern themselves with the people only in the run-up to an election...
“There can be no democracy unless power in all its forms - economic, military, political, social and cultural - is in the hands of the people.”
JOSIE FERNANDEZ is a researcher, social activist and an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow.
The BN, now like a wounded tiger, as it is losing its grip on power after more than 50 years of political dominance.
The other, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, won the popular vote in the 13th general election and is impatient to take over power.
The battleground is a dangerous terrain of race, ethnicity and religion. The harmony and peace, once the pride of this terrain, is being threatened by the ruling elites fighting for their survival.
The ruling elites are not just the post-colonial bourgeoisie but include various shades of politicians, such as academicians and businesspeople in positions of power.
It is against this background that the Kajang by-election will be fought. The PKR strategy, as has been stated by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, is to bring Pakatan Rakyat closer to Putrajaya, the seat of power that is just 10km away from Kajang.Distance, it seems, is an important factor as to who leads Malaysia. This should be food for thought for our political leaders from Sabah and Sarawak, who have been our partners in building the wealth and stability of this nation.
Social cleavages ignored
We are a nation that does not seem angered by social cleavages, the growing social inequalities and social injustices as a result of bad policies, corruption and challenges of a globalised economy.
We are more riled by religious and morality cleavages. New nationalistic groups are threatening the peace and harmony we have enjoyed as Malaysians of various races, ethnicity and freedom to worship as guaranteed by the federal constitution.
The social cleavage that shows the stark contrast between the rich and the poor in regard to access to resources within the society often does not command the attention of Malaysians, as compared with moral and religious cleavages.
As news of Anwar Ibrahim as the potential PKR candidate hit the news headlines, it raised the moral barometer which is keenly watched by BN politicians.
Sexual innuendos, not progressive policies for social justice or condemnation of corruption, have on several occasions grabbed the headlines.
Morality is an incendiary tool in the hands of politicians without morality to bring down opponents.
We need to be reminded that it is the politician without morality who resorts to using the incendiary tool of morality in disposing their political opponents.
Julius Caesar said, “ Those who speak passionately on the subject of morality are the least moral of all.”
Statesmanship lacking
Politicians are not necessarily statesmen, it has been said. Who among our current politicians are statesmen?
In addition to principles, a strong moral compass and vision, the Malaysian statesman must have ability for consensus-building that can sustain our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
We need to go beyond diversity. We need a statesman who will courageously say that pluralism is the way forward for this country.
We need statesmen like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi of India, Thomas Sankara of Burkino Faso, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Otto von Bismarck of Germany, Winston Churchill of United Kingdom, Camillo di Cavour of Italy and George Washington and Thomas Jefferson of the United States.
The candidates for the Kajang by-election can demonstrate statesmanship qualities in their election campaign speeches, discussions and in the paraphernalia to be displayed and distributed by the various political parties.
Kajang voters must say ‘no’ to posters, pamphlets and booklets that are more of pornographic materials, such as those distributed in the GE13.
Statesmen-like candidates do not need the Election Commission to remind them of the ethical boundaries of clean, free and fair elections. But then, is the Election Commission itself a paragon of virtue?
As Thomas Sankara said: “Democracy means using the full potential of the people. The ballot box and an electoral system do not prove the existence of democracy. There is no real democracy where those in power call elections from time to time and concern themselves with the people only in the run-up to an election...
“There can be no democracy unless power in all its forms - economic, military, political, social and cultural - is in the hands of the people.”
JOSIE FERNANDEZ is a researcher, social activist and an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow.
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