2020 – the year democracy was betrayed

 

It has been a momentous year, not just for Malaysians but the whole world.

Covid-19 wreaked havoc in many lives, many nations. Its impact will continue to be felt for sometime to come, there can be no doubt of that.

The SARS-CoV2 virus has made many of us economically poorer although some – such as those manufacturing items needed to fight the pandemic and the middle men handling these – have gained.

Tragically, it has washed away one whole year of school life for students.

Since much has been written about the disease, I will not go into it here.

This year was also momentous because for the first time in our history a former prime minister was found guilty of corruption-related offences. Najib Razak, son of the second prime minister Razak Hussein, was found guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power over RM42 million in SRC International funds.

Najib, who also faces trial on several other 1MDB-related cases, has appealed the High Court decision.

Several other top Umno leaders, including its current president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, also faces trial on corruption charges – all filed when PH was in power. Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor is also on trial for corruption.

All this, of course, is unprecedented in Malaysian history.

One of them, former Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor was jailed 12 months and fined RM2 million by the High Court after it found him guilty of receiving RM2 million in bribes from a businessman in 2016. He too has appealed.

Many others were also taken to court, although at least two cases involving top politicians were dropped. Overall, this can be considered a stellar year in the war against corruption.

More importantly, perhaps, is that 2020 was also the year that saw the betrayal of democracy in Malaysia.

A group of politicians mocked the voting public by getting together to overturn the results of the last general election and place themselves in positions of power.

Briefly, Malaysians voted out the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and voted in Pakatan Harapan (PH) on the wings of high expectations of reforms and the dawning of a new Malaysia. However, 22 months into the administration of Dr Mahathir Mohamad – his second – a political crisis was set off by senior members of his PPBM party.

It led to what has come to be known as the Sheraton Move where major leaders of his party met with leaders of Umno, PAS and a splinter faction of PKR led by Azmin Ali.

Mahathir says he tried to save the situation by resigning as prime minister on Feb 24 hoping to be asked to continue but with a new “unity” government in place.

But that did not take place. Instead, the faction of PPBM which wanted to leave the PH coalition nominated Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, after meeting MPs, declared that Muhyiddin had majority support of MPs and appointed him the eighth prime minister of Malaysia.

The Sheraton Move that toppled a duly-elected federal government and subverted democracy led to a trend where state governments changed hands at the whim and fancy of the politicians who were elected by the people.

Today, some states are headed by politicians who should be sitting on the opposition bench instead of running the government.

This year, many politicians showed they couldn’t care less about the intentions of voters; they showed they couldn’t care less about democracy.

I’m concerned because politicians may think this is an easier way of getting into power – especially if the voters reject them.

I’m concerned because what happened in 2020 may happen again after the next general election. What if losing parties gang up to attract politicians from winning parties and then form a government? After all, there is a precedent.

As far as politicians are concerned, 2020 was a leap-frog year.

Although there have been calls for an anti-hopping law to prevent elected representatives switching sides after an election to thwart the wishes of the voters, I doubt if it will happen soon – or ever.

The only way is for Malaysian voters to send a strong message to politicians that they should hold on to high ethical standards by voting out all those who switched parties this year – whether they crossed over to PH or Perikatan Nasional or some other party – in the next general election.

If we don’t, we should only blame ourselves if Sheraton Move 2 occurs after the next general election.

Last year was also a momentous year because it buried Vision 2020. Malaysia was supposed to be a high-income, developed, progressive and liberated nation with a mature democracy in 2020. Look where we are. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.