Consultant Editor - The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Corruption allegations, public squabbling and ineffective leadership are just the kind of perception the public used to associate solely with Barisan Nasional (BN) but in recent months the ruling coalition now has company in the form of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance.
While BN politicians are getting criticised for making racist, narrow-minded statements and for pursuing right-wing policies, then PR politicians should also be held accountable for their own failings.
Yesterday, the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang issued a warning that PR stood the risk of being a one-term wonder.
He is not far off the mark.
So far, states under the control of PR have not been shining examples of a better Malaysia.
Selangor, under the leadership of one of the country’s better former technocrats, has come under scrutiny over corruption allegations.
PR politicians can hurl allegations after allegations against BN for allegedly using the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as a tool to topple them.
And while the MACC have not been a paragon of neutrality, the public disillusionment with PR has grown as the muckraking continues.
The public’s dissatisfaction with BN was clearly shown when it gave the ruling coalition its bloodiest nose ever in March 2008.
And many have placed upon the shoulders of the fledgling PR parties hope for a better country.
But so far what the public has seen are examples of a BN under a different name.
The recent public quarrelling between the DAP and PAS over minor issues such as the relocation of an abattoir and the illegal seizure of beer has shown the continuing immaturity of Malaysian politicians.
Such open disagreements are mainly due to the fact that PR still does not have a common platform to offer itself as a viable alternative to BN.
Malaysians will find it very difficult to support PR if they do not know what the product is about.
The rallying cry of PR cannot continue to be “at least we are not as bad as BN” or “if we are bad BN is worse”.
Perhaps Malaysian politicians should learn a thing or two from the stock market.
Investors look at a company to see if its future earnings will continue to go up.
It is all about the future. It is about hope.
No one wants to invest in a company whose board of directors are fighting with each other or a company under a cloud of allegations of impropriety.
People like to feel good. That’s a fact. And they like to feel good about a company they are investing in. They want to know that there is a good future in the company.
So far, neither BN nor PR makes Malaysians feel good about the country.
BN is the slumbering giant that finds it hard to institute the kind of reforms needed to save Malaysia.
It is the behemoth that still believes too much in its own spin and does not offer up any clear leadership in taking Malaysia forward.
The PR alliance is not that much better so far.
Yes, there are obstacles and hurdles in front of it. And sure they are mighty big hurdles.
But the PR parties appear to only come alive when there is a combustible issue like the death of Teoh Beng Hock and in public demonstrations.
Malaysia craves for leadership to lead the country forward and to inspire hope.
And because of that Pakatan Rakyat cannot expect a free pass from the public.
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