I’m not sure anything this long has ever been written :P

It represents almost all I could possibly think of in answer to the question posed. It’s designed primarily for people who are unhappy with BN, but uncertain about the Opposition.

Two main parts: Part I (originally published in bolehland.com) discusses things from a slightly more human and general stand point, while Part II analyzes outcomes and the nature of the Opposition.

It’s too long to be eloquent, but I wanted to try and be exhaustive. Do bear with, my appreciation in advance for reading with an open mind :)

**

I.

You can probably think of a thousand reasons why the Opposition is not perfect. Having the benefit of intimate experience working inside the Opposition, I assure you I can easily think of a thousand more.

The Malaysian intelligentsia has been unforgiving on this front, and that is not entirely unwelcome. I would never want to be part of any movement that was not ready to subject itself to any and all criticism.

Let’s take a systematic approach to the simple question at hand: what do we do with an imperfect Opposition?
1. We can boycott it and conclude that Malaysian politics is hopeless

This benefits no one more than BN, given the manner in which it has and will continue to allow them to quietly ravage the country with impunity.

In the interests of following an argument to its logical conclusion, let us also examine the scenario that faces those who believe both the Opposition and BN are bereft of all value, but still want to see change.

Two options are available: start their own political party, or take part in an apolitical citizen’s movement.

I am perfectly sympathetic to either, if they can be successful.

This caveat is of course significant. My own analysis, and this is a personal affair which everyone must evaluate for themselves, is that as it stands, neither of these options are as yet on the verge of reaching the critical mass truly necessary the dismount BN and thus affect lasting, meaningful change in Malaysia.

(For the record, I may not be naive enough to believe that removing BN is sufficient to solve all of Malaysia’s problems and affect meaningful change, but again – in my very personal opinion – there will never, ever be meaningful change while a coalition where racial divisiveness and corruption hardwired so thoroughly into its system still rules)

To me, this is an important point. We are perfectly entitled to choose only to involve ourselves with movements that are ‘perfect.’ But does this come at the cost of affecting any real change?

If ten different people start ten different movements, each reflecting only a narrow set of uncompromisable ideals and moving independent of one another in dispersed directions, where does that leave the prospects for unity and change?

This is not to say any of these options do not have their place. The point is that to pursue them independent of other advocates for meaningful change is likely counter-productive.

The line between ideals and the need for meaningful results is ever a painful one that each of us must draw for ourselves. I have drawn mine.

Finally, if there is no hope, why do we stay here? Some are packing, while others seem prevented by inertia to move out, labouring perhaps under the illusion that it will not get worse.

I suppose only time will tell.

2. We can demand a better Opposition.

This is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, but how?

Do we scream and shout and them in our anger? Do we labour to find and pounce upon with glee their every flaw?

I cannot help but recall once again the words of Anton Ego:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgement. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.

Perhaps a good analogy is that of parent and child. In raising our beloved young, there are some strategies that are effective, and there are some that are not.

The final litmus test is once again, results. Which strategies will actually result in a better brought up child?

Yes, there are differing views on this, but I think we can all agree that constant negativity is bad for human development. It is all in the attitude, and in the sincerity (or lack thereof) of intent.

Of course, Opposition parties are not children (although, given the relative age of some, this may not be an entirely inappropriate analogy), and we can and should expect more from them than we would children.

I submit that the principle holds, however. If we want a better Opposition, then by all means, we should be firm, consistent and have high expectations, but we must also be loving, patient and understanding – just like a good parent.

Ultimately, my advice to a child with bad parents would be to ignore any admonitions that are not informed by love and designed to better his or her life. Life is too short for that sort of thing.

3. We can make a better Opposition.

This is my choice.

Politics is only what we make politics to be. I have always said that if we want a better Malaysia, we have to step up and make a better Malaysia.

Why should an Opposition movement be any different?

Some people are irreconcilably averse to politics, and that is perfectly within their right.

But for the rest, if we are willing to say to citizens that they must do their part, then the principle must be held consistently.

One does not have to agree with everything within a political party to help make it better. I certainly do not hold the same views as all of my fellow party members.

However, if we cannot resolve our differences and come to understandings even within a small group, how can we do so as a nation?

I have seen firsthand that Opposition parties need help. A lot of it.

The only question is who is going to lend it to them? If not you, and those like you, then who? Will we all wait for someone else to do the dirty work? I think we all know what that will result in.

Many seem to know how the Opposition can be better – why not come in, advocate for your changes, and make them a reality?

If we want to see a better Opposition, we have to step up and make a better Opposition.

*

I am of the view that this comes down to what is important to us. How badly we want the things we want, and how much discomfort we are willing to endure to make a better Malaysia.

It’s not a decision I or anyone else can make for you.

Read on for Part II

**

II.

What follows is another systematic attempt to analyze the potential costs and benefits of voting Opposition. This section is divided into two. First, it goes through possible outcomes of voting Opposition, vs. voting BN. Secondly, it discusses the nature of the Opposition.

In both sections, I attempt to systematically go through the various answers to the basic questions that voters face, exploring worst case scenarios to best ones.

A million thanks to reader Pratamad, who provided the summary of content as follows :)

Section Alpha

1. The Opposition forms the government (state/federal).
a. Will the new government run the state/country down?
b. Will there be riots and instability?
c. Will an Opposition government be lacklustre and mediocre?

2. What will happen if an Opposition representative is voted in, but BN
remains in power?
a. Will my constituency be less developed?
b. Won’t my representative be powerless?
c. What if the Opposition gains more than one third?

3. What if the Opposition forms the government?

4. What if I don’t vote for the Opposition?
a. A vote for an independent candidate or abstaining from voting
b. A vote for BN

Section Beta

1. Are they terrorists?
2. Are they nothing but rabble rousers?
3. Are the Opposition power hungry opportunists?
4. Are the Opposition incompetent?
5. Can the Opposition be united?
6. Does the Opposition have the first idea on how to run the country?
7. Could the Opposition possibly be a group of capable, sincere
individuals who have what it takes to Malaysia better?
Avast!

Section Alpha

Let’s start by exploring worst case scenarios if you voted Opposition and:

1. The Opposition forms the government (state/federal).

a. Will the new government run the state/country down?

The most consistently opposition run state in the country is Kelantan. Contrary to what you hear in the media, this is not some fundamentalist backwater.

I believe Kelantan is the only state in the country that is not in massive debt to the federal government.

On a social level, I challenge anyone to find a non-Malay/Muslim Kelantanese who feels that they are oppressed or marginalised.

You would instead find Chinese businessmen who find it easier to do business in a corruption-free environment, and Indians who have never experienced a temple demolition.

In essence, there is no empirical evidence to suggest that an Opposition government would run the country down. As will be elaborated below, the opposition parties consist of people who have direct experience in government and are tried and tested leaders in their respective fields – be they corporate, legal, medical and so on.

b. Will there be riots and instability?

No one knows any more what levels BN will stoop to, it is difficult and unproductive to speculate.

Let us examine instead the facts.

In 1969, there was a Malay-led ruling party and a Chinese-led opposition.

Now, there is a Malay-dominated ruling party and an opposition that is united across all the races and consisting of a major Malay element.

Under these circumstances, it is impossible for something like 1969 to happen again. If descpicable elements do try and engineer violence, as was arguably done in 1969, then they will find themselves faced with united, non-violent resistance from all races – Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan, Orang Aslis and so on.

Even though the unscrupulous may resort to violence, Malaysians are now mature enough to stand together for what is right, against what can destroy the fabric of the country.

We must also note that we cannot be held hostage to threats.

Not only is Hishamuddin and Khairy waving their kerises. MCA’s Chew Mei Fun has publicly held the sceptre of May 13 over the heads of Malaysians.

What is being planned is the long term domination of Malaysia. By using these threats, BN seeks to hold on to power long enough to ensure that their dominance and ability to do whatever they like as well as treat our Treasury as their personal piggy bank will last forever.

Every year BN remains in power, it will be easier and easier for them to initiate manipulations to maintain their grip and consolidate their ability to threaten. Observe what has happened over the years to our judiciary and to our electoral process. Bit by bit, every shred of integrity is disappearing.

Tyranny seldom comes into power overnight. It is a gradual, stealthy process designed to be invisible until it is truly too late.

It isn’t too late to change the government yet, but it may be soon.

c. Will an Opposition government be lacklustre and mediocre?

There is a popular e-mail floating around, comparing the education levels of Singapore ministers versus Malaysian ministers.

We all laugh, but the truth it reveals is stark.

I submit that the calibre of an Opposition cabinet would beyond doubt be closer to the Singaporean list than the Malaysian one.

In KeADILan alone we have Rhodes scholars, Harvard graduates, corporate giants, legal legends, prominent doctors, seasoned administrators, and so on.

Is it really reasonable to expect that an Opposition government could conceivably be worse than one featuring an Information Minister who can’t speak proper English, a foul-mouthed samseng Minister in the PM’s department and a Prime Minister who can’t even stay awake in his party’s own General Assembly?

2. What will happen if an Opposition representative is voted in, but BN remains in power?

a. Will my constituency be less developed?

Look at the opposition strongholds in the country: Kepong, Bukit Bintang and so on. Have they suffered from less development?

In general, the opposite is true. BN tends to spend even more in opposition constituencies, or in constituencies with thinner margins of victory for BN. Why would they waste money trying to bribe a constituency that is already a ’safe seat’ for them?

b. Won’t my representative be powerless?

It’s probably true that an Opposition representative cannot go behind the counter of your local council and promise a corrupt contract to an official just to get them to fix your drain (which is supposed to be their job to do anyway).

That doesn’t mean, however, that an Opposition representative cannot exert more pressure on a local council than a BN one could. Governments, local or otherwise, live in fear of bad press. No BN representative is going to give the local council bad press, only Opposition ones can.

It is worth noting that fixing drains isn’t even a representative’s true job. This is the purview of local councillors. The only reason they don’t do it is because they are not democratically elected and therefore in no way accountable to you. (Do you even know who your councillors are?)

A long time core principle, for KeADILan at least, has been to restore elections for local councils to make sure you can punish and remove councillors who are not doing their jobs.

Even one lone Opposition representative is one more person who will dare to speak the truth. One more person who is brave enough to stand up and defend what is right without fear or favour, because s/he is not tied or subservient to any ruling interests.

The power of that single voice should not be underestimated, and is crucial in bringing balance to any government and providing a check on rampant excesses.

c. What if the Opposition gains more than one third?

This will significantly halt BN’s ability to do with the Constitution and laws of the land as they please.

For instance, the Constitution itself was altered just to very suspciously allow one man, Tan Sri Rashid Rahman, to continue being the Chairman of the Elections Commission until the 12th General Elections.

This can also stop gerrymandering – the process in which BN manipulates constituencies such that Opposition supporters are lumped into one constituency, explaining why BN can control 90.4% of the seats in parliament with only 63.8% of the popular vote.

3. What if the Opposition forms the government?

As explained above, this should be a source of hope, not a source of fear.

It is true that there are a number of unknowns involved in voting in an Opposition government.

It is up to us to assess those unknowns honestly by taking the time to get to know the Opposition (see our websites and read on below), and weigh them against what we do know about the BN government: its racism, its corruption, its economic mismanagement, its failure to provide security, and its all round incompetence.

4. What if I don’t vote for the Opposition?

a. A vote for an independent candidate or abstaining from voting

Such a vote is obviously perfectly reasonable and within your rights. This essay seeks to analyse outcomes however, and the data suggests that no vote for an independent has had any significant stastical effect.

This means that an independent candidate has never won, and many people vote independent instead of Opposition, thus contributing to a BN victory.

Not voting has very much the same effect.

There is an argument that either of these options has the merit of signalling disatisfaction with both Opposition and BN.

Being dissatisfied with both is fair enough, and I will seek to address some of these issues below.

Idealistic though this approach may be however, in terms of net effect, not voting for either has little, if any, impact and generally aids a BN victory.

One question to consider is whether your dissatisfaction with politics is greater than your desire for change, however incremental.

b. A vote for BN

Votes are the only political currency of any value at the end of the day.

A vote for BN sends a very clear and, to their mind, unambigious signal that the voter approves of the overall performance of the government.

A vote for BN signals approval for: rising prices for petrol and basic goods, rising costs of living, rising crime rates, rising racial divisions, rising corruption and rising subservience to naked Umno dominance.

We might wish our vote could be more nuanced than that, but unfortunately, there are generally only two boxes on any given ballot, and only one thing you can write in them.

Section Beta

So, who are the Opposition? Do they deserve your vote?

1. Are they terrorists?

On the far end of the spectrum are people who think that the Opposition is some Jewish/CIA/al-Qaeda funded organisation who want to bring the country down. I think there’s no need to respond to nonsense.

2. Are they nothing but rabble rousers?

The Opposition do have a history of taking to the streets. The question is why?

Humans do not generally enjoy chaos or disorder. They like to stay at home on the weekends and enjoy a quiet day with the family.

Then why have millions of Malaysians taken to the streets, facing water cannons, tear gas and more?

Simply: because they have nowhere else left to go.

Over time, the government has progressively cut off every avenue for legitimate views to be heard, and now even the streets are blocked to Malaysians.

The Opposition over time has had to deal not only with severe repression, but also infiltrators who pose as supporters and create mayhem in attempt to blacken their reputation. BN-owned media is only too happy to engineer footage and images to reinforce this misdirection, while downplaying to the point of incredulity the masses who attend rallies like Bersih’s 10/11.

All most Opposition members want to see is a fair and just government. They take to the streets only when they see our integrity and rights being eroded stealthily but steadily, and when it is the only recourse to defend Malaysia and keep her honour clean for our children.

3. Are the Opposition power hungry opportunists?

One of the best things about being amongst the Opposition is that the self-selecting nature of the group eliminates any individual who is in this line for power or fortune.

The simple reason is that neither are to be found in the Opposition. Members of the Opposition wield no political power except that of the moral high ground. They have none of the access to government funds so frequently abused by the ruling party, and instead live on scant donations and their own savings.

Opposition parties have all of the difficulties of any large organisation – personality and management differences, occasional inefficiencies, communication breakdowns and so – but few of the benefits, like the ability to generate profits or positions of influence.

No one is in it for the money or the power, because this line of work is more likely to lose you both those elements than to facilitate gaining more.

4. Are the Opposition incompetent?

Once again, examine with care the calibre of today’s Oppositionists. Three KeADILan members can serve as good examples:

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim – former CEO of Guthrie, famous for bringing Sime Darby back to Malaysia in the legendary Dawn Raid at the London Stock Exchange

Sivarasa Rasiah – winner of the prestigious Rhodes scholarship, and prominent lawyer

Lee Boon Chye – leading heart surgeon with a successful Ipoh practice

The younger generation of Opposition supporters also demonstrate a sea change in Malaysian society. Some of Malaysia’s best and brightest, including individuals trained at universities like Oxford and Harvard are now at the vanguard of the movement for a better Malaysia.

5. Can the Opposition be united?

Clearly there is far more that unites the Opposition parties than there are that divides. These include a commitment to social harmony, a safer Malaysia for all, management of the economy that is a class above what we have now, and the upholding of proper checks and balances such as a free media and an independent judiciary.

The Opposition parties obviously do not share exactly the same views on everything. If they did, we would have one Opposition party, not three.

Nonetheless, the attitude in the Opposition has been to discuss differences openly in a sincere spirit of wanting to find mutually acceptable positions. Instead of using the BN model of sweeping all contentious issues under the carpet, there is a real desire to find a middle ground around which the different parties can unite.

Seemingly contentious issues such as the Islamic state sometime become a matter of semantics. A state based solely on the existing Constitution but managed according to the best traditions of not only Islam but all other religions in Malaysia would mean a Malaysia where justice prevails, corruption is banished, and freedom of religion exists for all.

Is unity around such a platform truly that difficult to imagine?

There are also political difficulties that sometimes give rise to conflicting interests, in seat negotiations for instance.

What the public does not see is the protracted negotiations and extremely difficult balancing acts that party leaders have to achieve in both intra- and inter-party relations.

Despite the difficulties, there is a fervent and sincere desire to achieve one-to-one contests in all seats, and each party continues to work hard to navigate the political realities to achieve this goal.

6. Does the Opposition have the first idea on how to run the country?

As mentioned above, many people currently in the Opposition have had direct and first-hand experience in being part of the government and the qualifications of many Opposition leaders far exceed those of current ministers.

The Opposition is constantly critiqued for not having enough written ideas on how it would manage the country differently.

Despite operating on extremely limited (or non-existent) resources, KeADILan for instance has still managed to come up with

i. A detailed Manifesto for the 2004 elections
ii. The Malaysian Economic Agenda
iii. The New Deal for Malaysians

The DAP has also laboured to produce an alternative budget.

Obviously, the Opposition could do more, all while campaigning, battling misinformation without media access, and trying to raise some modicum of funds.

It is also worth noting that what we do not see in the Opposition today, we may see in the Opposition tomorrow. A party like KeADILan is in its infant stages, and has a long future ahead of it to realise its full potential, if we are willing to take the attitude of a patient and loving but also firm parent.

7. Could the Opposition possibly be a group of capable, sincere individuals who have what it takes to Malaysia better?

Almost everything written until this point has been defensive.

A holistic look at individuals who make up the Opposition will generally reveal that there is nothing to be apologetic about.

This is a group of people who via tireless efforts, financial sacrifices and endurement of relentless prosecution have shown an unsual devotion to Malaysia and its people, an unwavering commitment to what is right that goes above and beyond, and a goodness of heart in which ultimately lies the hope for a better Malaysia to come.

**

Wasn’t that long? :P :)

Tags: Hope, Making A Better Malaysia, Malaysian Politics // 8 Comments »