Institutional reforms not an elitist concern, Anwar and Wan Saiful told

Institutional reforms and human rights cannot be dismissed as elitist concerns, said Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) advisor N Surendran.

“It affects the poor, exploited and downtrodden more than any other section of society.

“For example, deaths in custody or statelessness, which are a consequence of BN-era institutional failures, affects the poor the most,” he told Malaysiakini this afternoon.

Surendran was responding to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

Photo: Anwar Ibrahim

In a recent interview, Anwar, in urging the government to resolve the bread and butter issues faced by the Malay poor, said urban elite set a list of priorities which are a disconnect from the real problems of the poor.

“At times, the elite seem to ignore these real problems. I’ve not heard them talking about poverty and inequality,” he added.

Agreeing with Anwar, Wan Saiful, who dubbed the urban elite as the "Bangsar bubble," said the group was focusing only on institutional reforms from a position of comfort.

Photo: Wan Saiful Wan Jan

In a Twitter posting yesterday, Surendran dismissed the Bersatu leader's claim as “nonsense and spin.”

According to the former PKR lawmaker, the government could resolve both concerns – institutional reforms, as well as bread and butter issues.

“One does not exclude the other. Why sneer at right-thinking Malaysians who want institutional reforms and blame them for any government failure to deliver to the rural poor?

“Trivialising reforms is dangerous. We may once again face kleptocracy and repression. A free press, judiciary, key institutions and repeal of undemocratic laws are essential to prevent power-hungry and unscrupulous politicians from hijacking Msia again,” he added.

Both former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and C4 executive director Cynthia Gabriel agreed with Surendran.

“Agreed! And those pushing this line seem to belong to the terrible (though useful in elections) urban elite,” tweeted Ambiga.

Gabriel, on the other hand, pointed out that bread and butter issues are human rights as well.

“It directly impacts on quality and right to life. So it is pointless to separate human rights as something elitist. Institution reforms are necessary to safeguard against abuse of power and corruption. Nonsensical arguments,” she said on Twitter.

Last Friday, independent pollster Merdeka Center painted a bleak picture for Pakatan Harapan ahead of its first anniversary in office on May 9.

The survey found that economic satisfaction with Harapan had fallen from 56 percent in May 2018 to 40 percent in March this year, while economic dissatisfaction jumped from 12 percent to 52 percent during the same period.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, on the other hand, also saw his popularity rating plummet to 46 percent from 83 percent last May. - Mkini