The prime minister’s admission on Sunday that he has had three meetings with top PAS leaders since the March 8 general election to dicuss issues pertaining to Islam and the Malays is telling indeed of the new political scenario in the country. Most Malaysians today cannot remember a time when the two parties have not been at each other’s throats since PAS was unceremoniously kicked out of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in 1978.
So, for them to find common ground so suddenly is a tad uncharacteristic, to say the least.
It is quite obvious that the impetus for these dialogues is the shift in the balance of power between the BN coalition and the opposition parties that now form the Pakatan Rakyat. With the BN suffering a serious setback at the polls, Umno as its leading partner needs to find another formula for claiming the moral authority to rule in the name of all Malaysians.
The unexpected election results are really a powerful incentive for a fundamental re-look at the representation of all our peoples in the political, economic, socio-cultural and religious life of the nation. The message that the disaffected voters had sent through the ballot box is that they want their government to match their aspirations, to be in touch with the issues that are causing unhappiness in their daily lives. The recurring contestation of ethnic rights, religious jurisdictions, access to benefits and various social issues have rankled the people’s mood from time to time. Responsible voices have made repeated pleas for wisdom to prevail. The political leaders need to realise that the old dispensation has soured. It is simply not in tune with the real lives of the people.
How should the people in power respond to this challenge?
This moment in the country’s history offers an opportunity for the leading lights in our society to affirm the best qualities of our parts, so that no group or community is left by the wayside in the common quest for a place under the Malaysian sun.
The need of the hour is to embrace an inclusive, egalitarian and progressive vision that will form a solid foundation for our future success as a modern, liberal and dynamic nation.
It is evident that the political outlook at this time is shrouded in uncertainty and a denouement is needed before we can make further progress on our collective journey.
We need to accept that our nation is an ensemble of diverse peoples. We practise a variety of cultures, profess different religions, belong to different ethnic backgrounds and exist in disparate socio-economic strata.
In this context, we are disappointed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has often proclaimed himself as the PM for ALL Malaysians, has taken a narrow approach in focusing only on unity among the Malays and Muslims in the country. It, therefore, raises suspicion whether the motive is really Malay unity or to cause a wedge between PAS and other parties of Pakatan Rakyat.
Given all the challenges we face, the way ahead for the country, in our view, lies in a national reconciliation involving all political parties that will bring all of us together under a common umbrella. Ideologies that divide communities cannot unite a nation. That much is obvious.
Will our national political leaders on both sides of the divide rise to the occasion and forge a new covenant that will give us a fresh chance to achieve greatness? Or will they doom the future generations to languish in a communal mould, a society divided between disenfranchisement and privilege?
Unfortunately, the signals that are emerging do not hold much hope for the first option.
source: The Edge
PEOPLE'S POWER
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