Malaysia in deep crisis – A call to action

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From Munir Majid

This note is a synthesis of my own views, the discussion at the OPA Perdana Forum on July 10 and extensive comment on social as well as conventional media particularly WAGs such as Malaysia First.

There is a deep crisis in Malaysia, an urgent need for immediate action and structural reform as well as policies that have led to decay of the foundation upon which the country is established. A two-prong approach is proposed.

Immediate steps

Unlike most countries in the world confronting the most devastating pandemic of our time, Malaysia faces it with an unstable government which lacks the legitimacy of proven support in the Dewan Rakyat.

Indeed, in the 17 months since the government was formed by disputed means, it has avoided that test of Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy culminating in the declaration of an emergency ostensibly to more effectively combat the Covid-19 pandemic, a fig leaf which has been blown away by the worsening, not improving, health crisis.

An unstable government walks on thin ice, is forever looking over its shoulder for that act of betrayal that will bring it down and thinking of its next trick to stay in power. It makes appointments based on how best to secure its support and not on its ability to contain the Covid-19 virus while keeping the economy running as much as possible. It is thus not surprising that the government has failed to manage and contain the health crisis or to protect the economy.

The biggest failure of this government whatever its antecedents and however it obstructs parliamentary democracy is how it has been irresponsible in not recognising the need to form a stable government at this time of grave national crisis never before seen in the nation’s history.


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