Never forget the 99 percent

I wonder who threw the biggest party Saturday night? They must have dressed to the nines in pink diamonds and Hermès handbags for this one. Alas, my own weekend was a sombre one after suffering through Liverpool’s ignominious defeat to lowly Watford.

We seem to be making a habit of black swan events in our politics. Once in a lifetime events are now commonplace enough to be annual bookends. So, don’t be unduly shocked to see further momentous changes as our politicians continue to play our their melodrama.

Nevertheless, against this backdrop of chaos, it’s important to remind ourselves that the very purpose of government is to serve society’s many, not its select few. This was in the manifesto that the rakyat voted into office in GE14, and no doubt it will be the basis for the next election, and the one after that, and the ones after.

Did Pakatan Harapan deliver on its many promises to the people? Not all. I admit not enough and not entirely as some needed more time. As I constantly pointed out, it would be perilous for us to ignore the clear mandate of the people in favour of personal politicking and acrobatic horse-trading, which ultimately was the cause for the collapse of Harapan.

This is what so infuriated voters about BN, then frustrated them with Harapan, and it will just as surely fuel discontent in Perikatan Nasional (PN). Yet the speculation of the day is around which individuals will benefit, with scarcely a nod to the needs of society at large.

Regardless of which PM, which party and which coalition, if the people are mistreated they will speak loudly at the polls. We showed not only ourselves but the whole world that democracy in Malaysia works. Amidst the giddy highs of reclaimed power, this is a lesson that PN should not forget - whether they last weeks, months or years.

Politics may overrule principle, or vice versa, as the mood of the day shifts. But an administration that does not serve the wellbeing of the people will never be resilient. What that means is policies of social justice and equality regardless of race or religion. What that means is economic opportunities that benefit blue-collar and white-collar workers alike and equip them to thrive in the 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) digital transformation age that beckons us. And what that means is the rule of law and enforcement of justice regardless of position or public office.

As far as I am concerned, I will lend my support to these noble objectives, regardless of who occupies the chair. Yes, I do believe these objectives were best captured within the Harapan manifesto which I helped draft and would lobby for not only its continuation but its acceleration in every government.

If the focus of leadership devolves into the openly self-serving dealing that we saw in past administrations, then it would be prudent for those to remember the consequences before once again trotting out designer handbags and dusting off fancy jewellery.

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RAIS HUSSIN is is the president/ CEO at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research. - Mkini