On Coalitions and Cooks
By batsman
Malaysians actually have lots of experience with coalition government. For 52 years, we were ruled by the BN coalition so we can claim to have lots of experience. Unfortunately, it was 52 years of only one type of coalition when there are hundreds of types that have existed in the past and hundreds more new ones that can be designed for the future. We have been fed the same rotten prison gruel for 52 years and it is time for a feast.
Unfortunately as everyone well knows, not every dish served tastes good. We need to have reasonably competent cooks, but for 52 years we were fed the same prison gruel and we have no competent cooks except prison cooks.
We have to experiment keeping in mind not every Malaysian has the same tastes or preferences and that out of the hundreds of models of coalitions available, only a few can be suitable for the Malaysian condition. Also necessary to keep in mind – not every rojak tastes as good and there are some basics that need to be met. A 3rd important thing we have to keep in mind is that the kitchen cannot be overrun by every pretender (of chefs) wanting to have a say and adding ingredients as he wishes into the pot and jostling to become Chief Iron Chef. Too many chiefs spoil the soup.
The BN coalition model is based upon one supremo who keeps several lap dogs – both with the whip as well as with carrots (or intestinal slush dependent on whether they are rabbits or pigs). The BN is a dictatorial style coalition and this style has a consequence on the public in the form of waste, corruption, nepotism and abuse of power. The ordinary man becomes surrounded by sin everywhere he turns. He cannot help but breathe in the foul stench of corruption even if he tries his best to avoid it.
The BN coalition was stable for 52 years but it has created an environment that is now so poisonous that lots of Malaysians who can afford it are fleeing our shores.
The PR on the other hand cannot help but be a democratic coalition. This description consists of 2 words – democratic and coalition. Democratic in the sense that each component has a say that needs to be carefully considered by the others and has the right to protest if it feels it is being neglected in its views. Coalition means that there are rules of engagement and interaction that has to be followed. If there were no rules each component might as well go their own way and be separate and independent parties answerable only to their own constituents. So it is that there must be both freedom and discipline. Some might want to call this oxymoronic, but this is a fact of life. It is also difficult to balance and keep intact precisely because it is so oxymoronic. But those of you who enjoy aeroplanes – you should know that the best fighter planes in the world are designed to be slightly unstable for peak performance. They are also difficult and dangerous to fly except for trained and capable top guns.
This does not mean that people have no choice but to opt for the easier BN coalition model where all power is surrendered to UMNO and people only have to worry about their own personal daily survival.
Such conditions of surrender or take your own destiny in your own hands mean that the PR coalition has the potential to bring about the most freedom for every Malaysian to practice his or her conscience within the bounds of living in peace and harmony in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society. As such it can be extremely strong and can enjoy the support of every decent Malaysian.
On the other hand, it can also mean that the coalition can suffer chronic weakness and eventually break-up because each component and their constituents demand too much for itself or themselves. Selfishness, paranoia and greed are the most serious weak points followed by stupidity and insensitivity while the strong points are mutual respect and commitment to the common objective of bringing the most happiness to the most number of people in Malaysia.
I am not a good cook and I have no patience with the practical details and the concentration needed in preparing a good dish. So you iron chef wannabes – go ahead and prepare the best meals of your life, but please remember you are not the only one who can prepare a good meal and even if a lot of people can appreciate you, there are others who cannot. As they say – one man’s meat is another’s poison. So try not to cook up poisonous meals for other people living in Malaysia even as you cook up a delicious one for yourself. Good luck!
(Please bear in mind that the above write up is for relatively decent people only and not for the sickos with prejudice, hatred and malice in their hearts and whose hatred for me is starting now probably increasing by the second as they read this. Heeheehee).
