Where it all went wrong for Harapan

Twenty months have passed since that historic day where Pakatan Harapan trounced Umno-Baru/BN and buoyed the hopes of millions of excited Malaysians, eager for change after decades of institutionalised racism, religious extremism, corruption and mismanagement.

The day after GE14, we saw video footage of a bleary-eyed Dr Mahathir Mohamad demanding a reluctant Election Commissioner declare a Harapan victory.

We held our breath when the 93-year-old rushed to the palace to meet the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and form a new government, only to be told to return in the afternoon. Our concern intensified with the additional delay.

During this time, it was alleged that a disgraced Najib Abdul Razak was trying to coerce the police into engineering his return. They refused!

Finally, the moment to be savoured came at 11pm. With his hand on the Quran and quivering from fatigue, Mahathir swore allegiance to the King, but more importantly, it was the fulfilment of a nation's dream, a change for the better after 61 years of stifling one-party rule.

Tragically, our euphoria was short-lived. Four months later, Mahathir and his MPs jettisoned many expected reforms such as local elections, abolishing tolls and overhauling the education system.

The Harapan administration is not seen as a collective government with the PM at the helm. It appeared to be run by a workaholic who trusts no one.

Few of Mahathir's MPs could keep up with his pace, and even fewer dared to oppose him. Previously outspoken MPs, who once inspired us with their bravado, have become as meek as mice.

It should not have taken five by-election defeats for Mahathir to wake-up, because he finally warned that Harapan would be a one-term wonder.

How extraordinary! The rakyat knew this 16 months ago. Harapan failed to implement promised reforms and the rakyat is restless about the delay in jailing former Umno-Baru leaders for corruption and abuse of power.

Radical measures will involve race and religion, but which MP dares to buck the trend? Harapan's decline is not just Mahathir's fault. Harapan MPs have a collective responsibility, but it is their arrogance and refusal to listen which disgust us.

Allegations are rife that some MPs and state executive councillors are termed "Pakatan Cari Makan" politicians. They are more interested in wheeling and dealing to enrich themselves than they are in implementing reform.

Don't be deluded into thinking that prime-minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim can boost Harapan's performance. While Mahathir was beefing up his defences with Bersatu, Anwar engineered a by-election in Port Dickson, after which he and his supporters harped on the transition of power.

Anwar's preoccupation with becoming PM, and his desperation for a firm date, will be his undoing because we saw that he is an impatient and power-hungry man. He is not the panacea for the nation's ills such as inequality and religious extremism. As Anwar has said very little about his plan to resolve this, we are denied a chance to evaluate his proposals.

If Anwar thinks he can unite the nation, then he thinks too highly of himself. He has been unable to unite the warring factions within his own party. Dissent is not tolerated, and party members are expected to be unquestioningly loyal to him.

Malay women (and children) had hoped for radical reforms under Pakatan, but they were left disappointed and furious. The minister for Women, Family and Community Development, being a woman and Muslim, should have understood their plight. Instead, child marriages still flourish to protect "the indisputable religious right of Muslim men".

The blind spot created by religion is infectious. Our schools are increasingly being Islamised. The minister in charge of religious affairs has increased the power and finances for the much-feared and despised Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim).

Few Malaysians dare to complain about Jakim's overreaching powers and their invasion of our privacy. A Muslim who does will be seen as disobeying "God's orders" and may be punished, or sent for re-indoctrination. A non-Muslim who complains risks serious repercussions. Mahathir has the power to shut down Jakim or dramatically reduce its budget, but he won't.

Environmental issues remain a thorny subject. Lynas continues operating despite the painful lessons of Bukit Merah. The man responsible for the decimation of Sarawak's forests still runs free.

Education is key to prevent the pollution of our soil, air and water but the desire to make money, in the name of development, makes our leaders blind. Strict enforcement is necessary, but the political will to demand excellence from our civil servants is weak.

Most infuriating are the mixed messages from our ministers. One minister criticised the radical Indian preacher Zakir Naik for interfering in local politics, but in the next breath, all was forgiven and the two enjoyed a cosy meal together.

This is similar to the mixed message from Kelantan leaders and executive council members, who are proud to show off their Mercedes Benz cars because these are safer and cheaper to maintain than their decrepit Protons.

Kelantan's leaders have no shame about using superior products, but locals are supposed to be content with locally made goods, which are inferior in quality and sometimes, more expensive than imported items.

It is not just the politicians who have betrayed us. The failure of the people from Peninsular Malaysia's poorest state to vent their anger is astounding.

One minister had been living under a rock and denied the existence of gays in Malaysia. Another was so dopey that he did not know that a drone is not a flying car.

Mahathir requires a leaner cabinet and civil service. He should only retain competent people with principles. If meritocracy leads to a predominantly non-Malay cabinet, then so be it.

The Malays occupied the top positions for six decades, but their betrayal failed the nation. Malaysia is ripe for reform. We will persevere.

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MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter. - Mkini