A Government of the People?

By Hussein Hamid

As the Chinese say may you live in interesting time. And we do, we do – but what will Tunku, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn think of what is now happening to their country, our country?

Are there ‘external forces’ disrupting peace in the country?
No.

Are there anti social elements within the country trying to create fear in the mind of the Rakyat for their own selfish purposes?
No.

Are racial factions with vested interest fighting over petty issues that will disrupt peace and calm and create panic amongst the population in the country?
No.

And yet we seem to have a Government that see it itself to be under threat. And yet our people seem to be on the brink of despair abandoning any hope for a sense of justice, decency and hope in their daily life.

What we have now is a Government of the people but not for the people. We seem to have a government that operates without the need for the system of checks and balances that are fundamental to and demanded of by a modern state that Malaysia proclaims itself to be. We have a government that is very strong but with shaky foundations because it lacks the absolute mandate to govern as it does now and in continuing to do so has abused the trust placed upon it by the people. A government that seems ready to destroy the very foundation of a modern democratic state to save itself – nay its leaders, from losing power. A Government that time and time again abuses the instruments of states for its own selfish purposes. It will be hard to rid us of this abuse of the democratic process in place within our system because the abuse is not within the system but is the system itself. Or to be more exact the guardians of this system.

Now Najib is faced with too many questions that he cannot answer because he can’t. How is he to answer Razak Baginda’s hideous commission from MINDEF for work done? How is he to answer the questions about Altantuya? What is he prepared to do to put Anwar away again? What happened to Kugan? How many times can the Judiciary be manipulated? How many times will the AG take instructions from the PM? Will PDRM continue to allow itself to be used time and time again in return for the Government closing its eyes to their excesses – quid pro quo? How will he placate Mahathir ? ..and now MACC?

In the best of times Najib has not been known to be a Mahathir. In these trying times even Mahathir himself would be hard pressed to mount any decent rear guard action to protect his flank. Najib will be hard pressed to close the chasm that is opening between image and reality. We now have an UMNO that does not want to hear what the Rakyat is saying but instead is involve in a life and death struggle of its own and of its leader Najib. Every criticism is seen as a campaign and a plot by Pakatan Rakyat to outmaneuver them and create subversion that must be neutralized with the use of all arsenal at their disposal – PDRM, MACC and the Judiciary…and let us not forget money, lots of money!!. And yet they know they are vulnerable. The crack has opened up since the last GE – and not for the first time UMNO/Barisan is on the defensive. This time it will be a life and death struggle that will have its nadir at the next General Election.

Let us hope that the democratic foundation put in place by our Tunku, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein will be able to withstand these assaults by the present. If it is not then our country will surely descend into chaos and trouble as ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’ …and there are enough good man left who will not do nothing and allow evil to triumph.