The end of Machiavellianism (WITH CHINESE TRANSLATION)
I believe that many doubts have been cleared with Najib’s recent declaration (that BN won’t cling on the power should they lose). The people should now be able to vote as they please without feeling threatened and stressed. And since BN has made its promise, PR should in turn make the same promise that if they lose in their states they will ensure a smooth transfer of power (especially to control some of their fanatical, over-obsessive supporters who have the potential of causing troubles).
Original text by Tay Tian Yan, Asst. Chief Editor, SinChew Daily
Translated text by Gilbert Yeoh-Tan
“Should Barisan National lose in the coming election, will they surrender their power peacefully?”
For a long time, this problem has acted like the scalpel that is left in the body of the patient after a surgery; The patient can swear that something is wrong with his body, and the surgeon can find no word to explain the situation.
If we are to remove the scalpel, we need to undergo another surgery with attached risks. And if we don’t, the patient will feel the ongoing pain with possible future complications.
This is a very obvious taboo in Malaysia’s politics. Nonetheless, this problem needs to be exposed to the light of democracy.
Just like many, I have more than once discussed this topics on several occasions. To tell you the truth, many will say ‘no, BN will not,’ whereas I am the few (maybe the only one) who will say “Yes, BN will.”
Many think that BN will take all the necessary steps, including playing dirty tricks, to remain in power. According to a friend who is ‘very experienced’ in Malaysian politics, he stated without hesitation that BN’s power in Malaysia, if not exceeds, equals that of Communist Party of China (CPC) in China. CPC is a tri-combination party, politics, and military powers, whereas BN is a penta-combination of party, politics, military, police, and economy powers.
He further argued that BN will not want to lose this cross-layer power that can in turn allow BN to win more political power even without election. This argument is based on Machiavelli’s theory on powers, in which he theorized that the thirst for power would overwhelm all others and that in order to grab power politicians will do anything necessary.
This is indeed a dreadful and dangerous theory.
Many people, including politicians, may not know who Machiavelli is; some might even think that Machiavelli is a kind of Italian pasta. But, for some, Machiavelli’s gene and ideas have already deeply rooted in their belief system without them knowing.
I myself am not a Machiavellianism partisan. Ever since I first started immerging myself in politics I have been resistant towards that theory. If Machiavellianism holds true, we would not have seen philosophers such as Robespierre, Baron de Montesquieu, John Milton etc. leading the fight for democracy and political freedom.
And I have always believed in the power of democracy and the function of election. The people make their final decision through election, and no authorities, including that from those who command powers, can overrule that final decision.
Democracy in Malaysia has a somewhat solid foundation. Though our election system is far from perfect, after half a century of trial, it still commands certain credibility and is an important cornerstone of our democracy.
For those who wish to challenge the people’s power, they must be prepared to pay a heavy price. Just look at what Arab’s spring did to the autocratic Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Ben Ali of Tunisia; though once being very powerful, they too had to bow in front of people’s power.
Furthermore, Malaysia is an open country that involves heavily in international trading. So, should the government overturn the election result they will hurt the economy. And for those who benefit financially from their political powers, this will be a blow that they cannot withstand.
Hence, I believe that Machiavellianism has already left Malaysia’s politics sometime ago with the stepping down of Mahathir.
For over 50 years Malaysia has been a civil government with minimal interference from the military, and this tradition must not be changed. Perhaps it is Anwar’s lack of confidence in our democracy system that makes him naming several retired military figures as PKR candidates in the coming election, but I think that this is absolutely unnecessary.
I believe that many doubts have been cleared with Najib’s recent declaration (that BN won’t cling on the power should they lose). The people should now be able to vote as they please without feeling threatened and stressed. And since BN has made its promise, PR should in turn make the same promise that should they lose in their states they will ensure a smooth transfer of power (especially to control some of their fanatical, over-obsessive supporters who have the potential of causing troubles).
Only when both parties can make and deliver the promise will the people be free of doubt, and only by then can we take a step closer to a better democracy.
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郑丁贤‧马基维里的终结
“一旦国阵输了大选，它是否会和平交出政权?”
一向以来，这个问题，彷佛是医生动手术之后，在病人体内留下手术刀。
病人觉得不对劲，医生又难以启齿。
要取出来，得多动一次手术，不无风险；不取出来，难受之外，还要面对并发症。
这俨然是大马政治的一个禁忌。
然而，终究要摊开来，照一照民主的阳光。
我和许多人，过去多次在各种场合辩论这个题目。
不瞒你说，多数人都认为“不会＂，而我是认为“会＂的少数，或是唯一。
多数的辩者认为，国阵会尽一切的手段，包括非和平的行径，来捍卫它的政权。
一位政治阅历算是丰富的朋友振振有词说，巫统的权力组织接近中国共产党，甚至有过之无不及。中共是党、政、军的三合一，而巫统是党、政、军、警、经（济）的五合一。
这种一层叠一层的权力交错，使巫统不能失去权力，而也有能力通过非选举手段，巩固执政权。
这种观点，是以马基维里的权力理论为基础，权力的需求高于一切，政治人物为了权力，可以不择手段来达到目的。
这是一种可怕而危险的政治论述。
尽管许多人，尤其是从政者，搞不清楚马基维里是一种意大利面，还是一个意大利政治理论家；但是，马基维里的基因，却已经活潜伏在他们的价值系统。
我不是马基维里的拥护者，从接触政治理论开始，就很抗拒这种论述；如果大家都追随马基维里，那么，今天的世界应该还停留在独裁威权的时代，不会有卢骚、孟德斯鸠、弥尔顿带领民主和自由思想的诞生。
而我总是相信民主的力量，以及选举的功能。人民通过选举的决定，是最后的决定；没有其他力量，包括强势权力，可以抗拒。
大马的民主已经有一定的基础，选举制度虽然不完美，但经过半世纪的考验，有一定的公信力，也是民主进程的基石。
任何一方要否定人民力量，肯定要付出更加惨重的代价；像是茉莉花事件的人民起义，强悍如埃及的穆巴拉克，突尼西亚的本阿里，也必须俯首。
更何况，大马是一个对外开放的国家，经济依赖对外贸易和外来投资；一旦否定选举，将导致经济上的重创；而对既得利益者而言，这是他们不能承受的打击。
马哈迪之后，马基维里在大马的传人也应该告终。
大马独立超过半世纪，向来是文人政府掌权，没有军队和武力介入，这种深厚传统不容改变。
或许安华对民主缺乏信心，而引进了几位退休军方将领出任公正党的候选人，实在是没有必要。
随着纳吉的宣布，疑惑获得了解答，人民能够在没有压力，不受威胁的情况下，凭自由意志来投票。
国阵做出了承诺，同样的，民联执政的州属，如果发生政权更迭，也要确保和平转移；特别是阻止狂热分子的冒进和破坏。
双方作出承诺，信守承诺，人民解开了这个心结，民主就跨进一步。
