A Sarawak DAP delegate has urged the party to demand several reform measures from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration if it opts to remain in the federal government.
Stressing that DAP must show the public it has a reason to continue being part of the government, Soo Tien Ren advocated for five reforms which he said would show the party's commitment to transparency and accountability.
In particular, he called for the prime minister to relinquish the finance minister portfolio, equal constituency allocations for all MPs, and the abolishment of the Sedition Act 1948.
He added that DAP should champion the establishment of an Ombudsman Malaysia, the application of diesel subsidies to all commercial vehicles, and a reinstatement of the 300 litre Budi95 quota.
"These are not impossible reforms - some are our promises for years that do not require constitutional amendments, only political will," Soo (above) said in his debate at DAP's annual conference in Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.
"Do not tell our members that only a memorandum has been submitted to the prime minister; tell us what exactly we asked them to do, what is the timeline, and what counts as success," he said.
Soo added that if DAP fails to deliver on its reform promises based on the "scorecard" he outlined within one year from now, the party must be prepared to make certain difficult decisions for its own survival.
"If we deliver, we can stay in the government for a reason (as) our presence matters.
"But, if we cannot deliver this reasonable reforms agenda, then perhaps the day when we must have the courage to say goodbye to Anwar has come," he said.
Soo was among 13 other party delegates who debated a motion on whether DAP should continue to remain part of the government until the end of its term.
The motion has since been put to an anonymous vote, with the outcome of the poll expected to be revealed later today.
Institutional reforms
Earlier, DAP national chairperson Gobind Singh Deo proposed that the recent special parliamentary sitting held for MPs to debate the royal commission of inquiry's report on Tabung Haji be replicated for other institutional reforms brought by the government.
In his speech to delegates, he referenced efforts to separate the roles of the attorney general and the public prosecutor, as well as impose a two-term limit for the prime minister.
"Maybe we can hold a special (Dewan Rakyat) sitting to approve these constitutional amendments (to) show that the government is serious when we talk about reforms.
"We can even hold sittings to discuss how we can address economic concerns, such as issues affecting SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and job opportunities for youths," he said.
Previously, DAP's former Klang MP Charles Santiago affirmed that if delegates determine that the party will remain in government, it must do more to improve its standing among voters.
“Harapan is in the ICU (intensive care unit) now - it’s time to make some tough decisions as a way of telling Malaysians that we’re serious about our pledges against corruption,” Charles said.
Among others, he suggested that DAP should demand that the government immediately disclose findings from an investigation into former MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.
He also called on DAP’s top leadership to push for a high-level cabinet committee on Indian affairs to address longstanding issues affecting the community. - Mkini
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