SORRY DR M, YOU HAVE TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS BEFORE YOU GO: TIME FOR A NEW OPPOSITION, FREE OF BOY WONDERS & BIG EGOS

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s message from Sungai Buloh Prison, in the aftermath of the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections, calls on the Opposition parties to examine their weaknesses with humility and to remain united against a corrupt regime.

Then we have Tan Sri Muhiyuddin Yassin and Dato Seri Mukhriz expressing their interest to set up another political party as political platform to further their political career., as if we do not already have surplus political parties who are in the opposition.

To both Anwar Ibrahim, and Muhiyuddin , I humbly suggest that don’t worry about getting them united; or find new political platform . Find a new political struggle. Find the substance. Worry first about what the New opposition can offer ; because only then we can find those who are serious who may want to join; because they believe in the political ideas of the new opposition

Getting as many non-Barisan Nasional political parties as possible to gang up for the purpose of winning an election ( the usual method) is not my idea of a united Opposition. Rather, it’s merely the politics of convenience—you will be united only superficially; and when the votes are counted and you still can’t get into Putrajaya, you will split up.

Opposition parties can be described as “united” only if they agree on core issues and key principles, which are not negotiable. Some of these are:

1) They must be united in wanting a democratic Malaysia. Today we are a dictatorship fueled by Taliban fascism in the cloak of religion. For this to happen, they must reject any proposal for a religious state. Religion, whether by law or fatwa, must not be allowed to determine public policy. Muftis must be told of their proper places.

2) They must want a Malaysia as a country governed by the Rule of Law where the PM is also subject to the same law, as you and me. The laws must be just—that is, without preventive detention, secrecy laws to protect corrupt leaders and other repressive measures. Then we must have judges who are not only smart but have the stomach to stand up to those in Prime Ministers Office , when necessary.

3) They must want a Malaysia that will outlaw racial, religious and other discrimination. Malaysia must be a country that is willing to depart from the bigoted practices and values of the past 30 years and begin to respect the principle of equality of all citizens in the eyes of the law. They must be willing to say NO to hate politics , of whatever shape or form.

4) They must want a Malaysia that have an independent Election Commission as well as, Police and other enforcement agencies.

5) They must want Corruption to be be eradicated at all levels, whether federal, state or municipal. To achieve this goal they must be willing to allow all governmental processes and systems to be transparent.

6) They must be prepared to have an Opposition Shadow Cabinet , so that people can hear and understand alternative policies from each Shadow Minister instead of the present method of being preoccupied with bashing the BN and individual personalities such as Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. We need to wake up the voters that there are real alternatives. If the Opposition could not agree as to the future PM, then that means they cant agree on the core political struggles; and so they might as well forget the idea of capturing Putrajaya.

If you were to put all these principles to an Opposition party in Malaysia today, I wonder how many would agree to sign up. That’s the real test of how united the Opposition can be.

If, as I suspect, there won’t be many takers, then Tun Mahathir and his allies must be willing to go it alone because these principles encapsulate what a real Opposition must be—it must not just oppose Najib, or just corruption but also attempts to alter the basic structure and character of this country, so we do not become a corrupt Taliban country

Tun Dr Mahathir has now the best chance to give birth to a new Malaysia ( and to redeem himself ) if he truly wants all Malaysian to live together happily, as equals, to become a prosperous and liberal democracy as stated in Vision 2020. There are not many Malays left who want Malaysia as a democracy, as many prefer Hudud and Muftis as lawmakers, , but Tun has to find them and persuade them to form a real coalition of opposition forces. . This is the only way to Save Malaysia. - Zaid.my