My dream for Malaysia: A fresh start with 222 new MPs

Malaysians have had enough! Cukup lah.

How often we hear such lamentations from Malaysians? Oh yes, we have had enough of our politicians and their politicking. More than enough!

Unfortunately, only our politicians do not realise what a great nuisance and a burden they have been. But the rest of us are aware and consider them incorrigible parasites.

Another political crisis appears imminent. We have been told to brace for another showdown.

Now, we know those were not just rumours we have been hearing over the past week. The deputy works minister has resigned and Pakatan Harapan Plus leaders are holding meetings.

Am I excited about another political showdown? No, I find it nauseating.

I am more concerned about the constant appeals for assistance I have been receiving via my NGO. Children lost their jobs and cannot afford to buy rations for the family, some with aged parents. Many of those eligible for welfare packages are also not receiving what is due to them.

Imagine this, Malaysians in our urban centres are starving and our leaders continue to indulge in their favourite past-time – now, it’s scheming and plotting to be in power.

The latest case I received two days ago was that of Malaysians, including Sarawakians, stranded in Nigeria. Getting stranded in a foreign land is nothing to joke about. It is a serious matter. Our government seems to be dragging its feet on the matter for several months.

I feel such cries for help are more important to look into than to be excited about any political showdown among those incorrigible parasites in our midst.

This is why I am very sore with our political leaders over this health pandemic. Their political survival is their priority.

Am I excited about a return of Harapan? My answer is a flat “No”.

Assuming Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (photo) is ousted, and Harapan is back in power. Then what? That’s right. I have to ask again – then what?

We are still dealing with the same players, folks. Nothing much will change. They are the same old, same old from both sides leading us, Malaysians, on a merry-go-round.

In the outside world, Malaysia is now viewed as one big political circus. Talk to any of the foreign diplomats in Kuala Lumpur and they will tell you the honest truth.

I can’t breathe 

We elected Harapan to rule in May 2018 and they lasted only 22 months. They didn’t even know how to govern. What is worst – their government was stolen from them right under their nose and in broad daylight. They were caught napping.

At that crucial moment in late February, they were still debating (I would even say “quarrelling”) among themselves, unable to decide their candidate for prime minister. What is this?

Their house was already in flames and they still could not decide which one of them should call the Fire Brigade.

These are a bunch of indecisive, weak and insecure people and they are telling us they want to rule the nation on our behalf… again. Goodness me! After what we have gone through, I would rather have Mr Bean as my prime minister.

Let me declare here today - I have zero confidence in the current crop of Harapan leaders. I have had enough of both coalitions.

Like George Floyd, I can’t breathe anymore. I believe many Malaysians are suffocating too.

My dream for a new Malaysia is a totally clean slate – a fresh start with 222 new MPs. Like Covid-19, we should aim to flatten the curve once and for all.

On May 17, a day before Parliament sat to hear the address from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, I posted this message to some friends:

“If I were a Harapan leader today, I would encourage the 100-odd MPs on Harapan side to resign en masse and submit their resignation letters to the king in Parliament tomorrow.

“This is an act of non-recognition of an illegal government. Let there be no opposition MPs and see how the PN government is going to function.

“Can half a Parliament function? Can Parliament continue to meet with empty seats on the opposition side?

“The resignation of more than 100 MPs would possibly leave the king with no choice but to call for the dissolution of Parliament and pave the way for fresh elections.

“This is an unprecedented move but isn’t hijacking a duly elected government two years into its term a seriously drastic move and totally out of the norm.

“Harapan must fight fire with fire if it hopes to win over dirty political scheming and ugly treachery never witnessed before in this country,” I added.

New polls

Of course, this will never happen because they know that under Article 48(6) of the Federal Constitution, an MP who vacates his public office is disqualified from contesting for five years.

None will be prepared to give up their seat. Why? Because they think that they are the only ones capable of leading and saving the nation, as they have often bragged.

To me, I believe there are easily 100 more capable people within the Harapan parties to take the lead, only that they were never given the chance to seek elective office.

Similarly, there are surely 222 more capable, decent and responsible Malaysians who can lead, only to be denied the opportunity to do so by the “Politics of Patronage” being practised in all the parties. This is a sad fact which many party leaders would not want to acknowledge.

On March 10, I had advocated calling for fresh elections as the best solution to end the impasse and political uncertainties. 

Returning Harapan to power via a no-confidence vote is not the best way forward for we now know how fragile the coalition is. Malaysia needs a totally fresh start.

I’m glad that there are some in power who agree to call for fresh polls today.

Of course, I have to concede that my dream of a new Parliament with 222 new legislators will never be fulfilled.

However, I remain hopeful that my wish for fresh polls will take place as it seems to be the only acceptable solution now.

My gut feeling tells me that it will happen soon.

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com. - Mkini