GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat should form and operate a shadow cabinet if the coalition was serious to grab federal power in the next general election, an academician said today.
Dr Sivamurugan Pandian from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) said the shadow cabinet would also exhibit Pakatan's credentials as a government-in-waiting.
By putting a shadow cabinet into practice, he said Pakatan could conduct a probation test run on the capability and ability of its parliamentarians in handling ministerial positions in future.
He said it would generate interest among Pakatan parliamentarians on particular ministerial duties and functions.
He added that Pakatan could breed and develop knowledgeable and skilled parliamentarians to assume ministerial roles in future.
“If Pakatan is serious to take over Putrajaya, it should form its shadow cabinet immediately,” said Sivamurugan, the deputy dean of USM School of Social Sciences.
He suggested that Pakatan’s shadow cabinet perform according to the coalition’s common policy framework (CPF).
By demonstrating its political conviction to implement the CPF, he said Pakatan could boost public confidence to effect a change in the federal government in the next general election.
“The shadow cabinet can show to the public that Pakatan was not merely keen on opposition politicking. It can practically demonstrate a government-in-waiting,” he said.
Moreover, he said Pakatan’s CPF-based shadow cabinet would provide a sharp contrast to Umno-led Barisan Nasional style of governance.
Thus, he said it could provide a firm check and balance to the current BN Putrajaya administration.
This, he said, would provide the public the chance to measure and make a comparative study on the feasibility and viability of two different styles of political governance.
Sivamurugan said the voters would know which government was the best to protect and enhance their interests, rights and benefits.
“The people could gauge the difference between BN and Pakatan. A shadow cabinet would contribute to a healthy growth of the nation’s parliamentary democracy.''
Sivamurugan cautioned Pakatan leaders not to let slip the opportunity to promote and market the coalition as the alternative government, given that BN had been slowly and steadily regaining lost electoral grounds, especially in rural Malay areas.
He said Pakatan should utilise the next few years to show evidence that it was ready to take over Putrajaya.
“Pakatan must demonstrate that it had enough talents to administer the federal government.”
1 comment:
sorry! too late.
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