It’s game on in Malaysian political football

 

From Clement Stanley

If you are a football fan, you will certainly welcome Euro 2020 as it gives you the opportunity to see some of the world’s best talent on display.

You get carried away when your favourite team wins and a little despondent when they lose. When it is a drawn match, you live with the thought that the team you support is still in with a chance to qualify for the next round.

More importantly, whether you are a fan of football, tennis, the Grand Prix, golf or any other sport, you are temporarily distracted from the Covid-19 situation and the political shenanigans in the country.

You are almost certain to console yourself with the thought of live and let live with regards to the political situation, as sporting events overshadow the power struggles that are taking place behind the scenes.

While we can work towards addressing the pandemic, there is nothing we, the rakyat, can do about the unstable political situation until the next general election (GE15).

There are, however, similarities between Euro 2020 and Malaysian politics.

Euro 2020 was suspended last year and carried forward to this year. Malaysia’s Parliament has been suspended from January 2021 until further notice.

During the qualifying rounds of Euro 2020, where games were played behind closed doors and a handful of officials were involved, fans were able to follow the outcome of matches via the mass media. Likewise for politics, we can follow the latest news through the media.

When a referee issues a yellow or red card to a player for one reason or another, it is to show that no one is above the rules. Ministers and the authorities also remind us of that all the time.

The only difference is that some important people will receive nothing more than a yellow card while the common Joe will get the red card, for a similar offence.

The decision as to who should be in the lineup for a game rests with all the managers in the participating teams and some feedback from their team captains. The decision as to whether Parliament should be reconvened, and the emergency lifted, is based on feedback from the leaders of all the political parties.

When there is doubt as to whether a goal has been scored, the VAR (video assistant referee) gives his opinion after studying the situation carefully.

When there are arguments about when Parliament should reopen, there is also a VAR in the form of the law minister who offers his own interpretation of what the King meant in his statement.

The big difference? VAR’s interpretation in football is based on actuality. The VAR law minister’s interpretation is based on nothing.

The Euro 2020 final will decide who is champion of Europe for the next four years. The GE15 winner will decide who governs this country for the next five years.

And, finally, what of football players who wish to join new clubs after Euro 2020? They wait for the transfer window to open.

And what about our elected representatives who want to join other political parties after an election, also to safeguard their future?

They will simply dismantle the “transfer window” and bring it along with them to the other side. Never mind the window frames.

Football and politics in Malaysia? To quote Sir Alex Ferguson, “bloody hell!”

Well, while one is played on a level playing field, the other believes in shifting the goalpost. For what it is worth, this is entertainment at its best. - FMT

Clement Stanley is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.