The PM we want

 

Here is what I wish we would hear from a new prime minister (this speech, of course, should be in Bahasa Malaysia).

"My fellow Malaysians,

It is time to walk out of the darkness and into the light.

It is time to stop the fighting, and heal the wounds.

It is time to come together, united as one nation.

Malaysians have had an incredibly difficult two years.

For many of us, life has been harder than it has ever been.

Some of us have lost our jobs, and some of us have lost our loved ones forever.

It has been a time of great pain.

But it has also been a time of great courage and heroism.

Our medical frontliner heroes have worked themselves to the bone, struggling and fighting to save Malaysian lives, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Malaysians from all walks of life have come forward to help their neighbours with food and other essentials in their time of need - proving countless times over, that when Malaysians need each other the most, we will always be there for one another.

It is this very same Malaysian spirit, the spirit of Kita Jaga Kita, that will lead us out of the darkness.

As I take up this great responsibility of being prime minister, I want to reaffirm my commitment to being a prime minister for all - not just for those who support me, not just for the rich or influential, not for any one race or religion; but a prime minister for all Malaysians.

Being prime minister for all Malaysians means fighting hard to solve the problems that affect all Malaysians.

Today, there is no bigger problem facing us than the Covid-19 pandemic.

We have already lost more than 12,000 parents, children, siblings, and spouses. This is an unbearable loss, and the families who have experienced such loss must always know that those who have gone are not forgotten. They are lives, not numbers, and we must do everything we can to prevent further unnecessary loss of life.

Millions of Malaysians are now struggling economically as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Jobs have been lost, families are struggling to feed their children, and mental health problems are at an all-time high.

As schools cannot open, the education of millions more Malaysian children has been compromised, and we run the risk of a generation of Malaysians who are not getting the attention they need.

We cannot continue like this.

These problems are not purely political, and they cannot be solved through politics alone.

My first act as prime minister is to ensure that public policy experts and professionals are given primary policy-making and decision-making power with regards to handling the pandemic - especially in the fields of public health, the economy and education.

We will draw upon the work already done by experts in this field. We will not waste time launching new studies or setting up countless advisory committees.

There will only be one Covid-19 Council, comprised primarily of non-political experts, that will lead and coordinate the entire government’s response to Covid-19.

The membership of this council will be announced within 48 hours.

Based on the science and data available at this time, priority will be given to minimising the spread of the Delta variant in states outside the Greater Klang Valley and to ensure adequate medical infrastructure and support in those states. We will also continue pursuing vaccination at the fastest rate possible, in a decentralised and fair manner.

All Covid-19 statistics and data will now be published directly from the source, with no filtration, censorship, or manipulation. No frontliner will be prevented from speaking about the situation on the ground or asking directly and publicly for aid that they require.

In order to restore the existing trust deficit between the rakyat and the government, my next priority will be to ensure that all the rules and regulations formulated by the Covid-19 Council are explained clearly and consistently, and enforced with strict consistency for all Malaysians.

Any member of my cabinet and government who is found to be breaking any of the rules and regulations will be asked to resign immediately.

This is important to inspire confidence in the rakyat that we are all in this together. We need every single Malaysian to take responsibility for the joint effort of beating the pandemic and saving lives. The only way to achieve this is to lead by example, and demonstrate that everyone is held to the same standard - especially members of the government.

To the Members of Parliament who have supported my candidacy for prime minister, I give you my thanks and my pledge that I will do everything in my ability to be worthy of your trust.

To the Members of Parliament who did not support my candidacy, I offer you the same gratitude and pledge. I will do everything in my ability to ensure that you are given a meaningful and productive role to work alongside the government as elected representatives, especially in providing checks and balances to ensure that the government is always working in the best interests of the rakyat. To this end, I pledge support for grassroots work in your constituencies, and the highest level of transparency and access to information.

The previous prime minister made a number of proposals with regards to structural reforms - especially on the questions of term limits for the prime minister, anti-hopping measures, lowering the voting age to 18, empowering parliamentary select committees, and ensuring equal allocations for all members of parliament.

These are all positive reforms that will be pursued by my government.

My fellow Malaysians,

These may be the darkest days that Malaysia has ever faced.

But this darkness will not overwhelm our spirit.

We will draw strength and courage from our faith in God, from our deep commitment to a better Malaysia, and from one another.

It is time Malaysia gets the government it deserves, and it is time for us to all come together, and build the country we deserve." - Mkini

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NATHANIEL TAN is a strategic communications consultant. Twitter: @NatAsasi, Clubhouse: @Nathaniel_Tan, Email: nat@engage.my. #BangsaMalaysia #NextGenDemocracy.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.