Democracy – Malaysia, do you still believe?
We may have been inadvertently led to believe that there is only one chance left for change but this is not the case. I pen this letter to assure you that there is so much left to fight for and in light of the 13th General Elections, here are thirteen reasons why democracy isn’t dead but instead far from it.
A Malaysian Who Still Believes
The last forty-eight hours have been grueling to say the least, what with supposed news of electoral fraud and underhanded tactics employed to win the most closely fought elections since independence, one could almost be forgiven if an abstinence from politics is all that lingers on a weary mind. However, the message coming out thus far has been discouraging and I fear for Malaysia if her citizens are losing hope. We may have been inadvertently led to believe that there is only one chance left for change but this is not the case. I pen this letter to assure you that there is so much left to fight for and in light of the 13th General Elections, here are thirteen reasons why democracy isn’t dead but instead far from it.
1) On the 5th of May, the Election Commission reported that 80 percent of voters braved the sun and rain to leave the comforts of their home to come out and vote. It did not matter who their support went to, what mattered was the sense of responsibility instilled within Malaysians that they needed to contribute, to speak up both for this country and its future children. This to me is democracy.
2) Despite all the issues of phantom voters, “houdini ballots”, blackouts and gerrymandering, the fact is 51.3% of the electoral voted for Pakatan Rakyat while 49.7% voted for the Government. The Barisan Nasional coalition knows this, you know this and I too know this. The system must be changed and in the coming years leading up to the election, expect the common man to resonate strongly against every policy, every decision and every contract that is made or given. 51.8% of the electoral roll are angry that they are not justly represented and are willing to sacrifice even more to contribute to this change in system. This to me is democracy.
3) For the second successive election, the Government is once more denied its two third majorities. In fact, the opposition has seen an increase of seven seats leaving them with 89 Member of Parliaments. Malaysia not only will have an under pressure incumbent but a strong and capable opposition who will fight for us. This to me is democracy.
4) The Prime Minister, in the weeks leading up the 13th General Elections realized the fact that Malaysians no longer concern themselves with racial issues but rather on the progress of the country as a whole. This in large attributed to the fact that our country appeared to be practicing the format of a Presidential Election. The banner of MIC and MCA has almost been nearly wiped out and their leaders too have admitted that the need for reform is real. The move away from racial politics is heartening and given the trend thus far, in time, will totally evaporate. This to me is democracy.
5) Perkasa will never again see the light of day in Parliament for both Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin lost. The government knows now that Malaysians are truly united and will not tolerate racist bigots who were supposedly ‘winnable candidates’. As a citizen of a multi-racial country, the drastic change in embracing a more secular approach gives me hope. This to me is democracy
6) In a predominantly ethnic Malay constituency, a Chinese won and in a predominantly ethnic Chinese constituency, a Malay won. You only need to look at Pandan, where Rafizi Ramli thumped Gary Lim with a 26,700 majority. Malaysians understand that capability is what makes a candidate successful regardless of their race. This to me is democracy.
7) Incapable candidates within Pakatan Rakyat will not be shown mercy and will be purged out. There is no evidence bigger than the loss of Kedah to Barisan Nasional. The state has witnessed poor results and several cases of in-fighting and the people simply got frustrated and wanted better. This to me is democracy.
8) Money politics will no longer work and you cannot buy our votes – this is probably the biggest lesson for the incumbent after spending millions on handouts. The fact stands, despite reports of electoral fraud in her constituency, Nurul Izzah won and she won against a minister known for his splurge in handouts. This will send out a deafening cry to all that transparency and justice will always prevail. This to me is democracy.
9) This election was also historic because for the first time, both the opposition and incumbent presented a populist manifesto with the people’s best interests at heart. Without knowing it, we have successfully undergone issue-based elections where the focus has been on key areas such as economy, education and cost of living instead of the usual ethnic based agendas. This paradigm shift also comes at a time when Malaysia finds itself only seven years away from Vision 2020. The time is now and the promises made will not be so easily forgotten. This to me is democracy.
10) It was reported that mainstream media has taken a heavy hit in the last five years and another five years will see many crippled. This is to be expected since media and press freedom is at its worst in our country. However, the rise of our own ‘clictivists’ in various social media platforms has seen millions of Malaysians engaged and well informed prior to the elections. Alternative media is the way forward and any form of bluff can now be called within minutes. This to me is democracy.
11) People Power. The common man arose to walk for a cause they believed in, Bersih or Anti-Lynas, UKM4 or even the “Walk for Freedom” campaign. We made sure our voices were heard, our angst and displeasure shared through peaceful protests with the people who could make a difference. We no longer sat back and passed the responsibility to others with indifference but instead took control of our fate and reclaimed our country with conviction. This to me is democracy.
12) Put aside the criticisms of Barisan Nasional for a moment and you will realise that the party has changed albeit not yet sufficient. As mentioned earlier, the winds of change is now knocking on their doorstep, it is up to them to embrace it or to be left in its wake. The party has been given a rude awakening in some sense in that corruption and abuse of power will no longer be tolerated but fought against with our votes. If the 2008 general elections was a political tsunami, 2013 is the rakyat’s final warning, change or be changed. This to me is democracy.
13) Finally, the biggest positive to come out of all of this is the sense of belonging each of us has for each other and country. I saw naught of Malay, Chinese or Indian for I only saw Malaysians. Yes, this election has been tiring and divisive at times but when the dust settles, we return to our schools and work desks, working together for the greater good with the knowledge that tomorrow will bring a renewed sense of optimism and hope for change. To me, this above all is what democracy is about.
The reasons above are only some of the truly inspiring outcomes of this election. As citizens of this blessed country, our role comprises of far more than just a simple tick at the ballot box once every five years. Noam Chomsky got it spot on when he said that to “some degree, it matters who is in office but it matters more how much pressure they’re under from the public”. It is in my humble view that citizen activism is the only way forward and the time has come for us to take matters into our hands, for after all, are they not problems which matter to us most? If memory serves me correctly, Nelson Mandela spent twenty seven years in prison, what then is one election if not the beginning? For now however, we have sent out a clear and strong message, that we will not be silenced; and long may that continue.
Democracy is not dead; it is merely plagued with sickness and the cure to this sickness is all of you, the future generation of Malaysia
Sincerely,
A Malaysian Who Still Believes
