Change or be changed, US think-tank advises BN
(TMI) – The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) must change the way it does business or risk attack from a stronger opposition with the backing of fed-up Malaysians who have become more politically aware and adept at using social media, a US policy think-tank has said in an opinion piece published in the Houston Chronicle, the superpower’s sixth-largest newspaper.
In an analysis of the May 5 polls on Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in its Baker Institute Blog column said that the direction of Malaysia’s anti-graft agenda will be determined by how the ruling coalition responds to its newly felt electoral vulnerability.
“Will it understand that pandering to special interests, money politics and crony capitalism are no longer a viable strategy?
“Change is not easy in old hierarchical institutions like BN, and it has relied on corruption to raise funds and satisfy supporters for several generations.
“But if BN returns to business as usual, it will risk attack from an opposition that appears resurgent, backed by a more mobilized and fed up public,” said the institute, which ranks 13th among university-affiliated think-tanks worldwide, according to a 2012 study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Programme.
The think-tank noted that Malaysia has so far managed to dodge the harmful effects of corruption on the investment climate to remain one of Asia’s most vibrant economies.
But it said that Malaysians had shown they were more politically aware, judging from the increased social media coverage of the polls, and were no longer willing to tolerate corruption.
The results of the recently-concluded general election saw the BN retain power by a simple majority although it lost the popular vote to a resurgent opposition.
BN won 133 seats in the 222-member Parliament against the opposition Pakatan Rakyat’s 89 seats, drawing a weaker score than in Election 2008 and which the think-tank noted has put the 13-party ruling coalition in a precarious position unless it moves to reform the way it has conducted business by tackling corruption seriously.
The Baker Institute suggested that Malaysia’s anti-corruption agenda may be better served if BN could focus on reaping the results of a successful economy.
“To motivate itself to implement a major change towards clean behaviour, BN should focus on reaping the rewards of a successful economy.
“In order to facilitate long-term inclusive growth, the government should promote policies that will be applied fairly and transparently to all,” it said in its analysis headlined “Malaysia: Looking forward” carried yesterday.
