My very first awareness of the Malaysian General Elections was 1969. I vividly recall the grown-ups talking about how opposition parties had won, and there was a lot of celebration. And this was quickly followed by an unspeakable event that would become a dark blot in our nation’s history. Of course, being a primary school student then, the most significant thing for me was the longer school-break we got to enjoy!
Well, this year’s election brought back those memories. In a surprising turn of events, the ruling Coalition Front (BN) comprising 14 parties failed to maintain its two-thirds seat majority in Parliament. This has been one of the ruling coalition’s worst-ever losses with a very close outcome to the General Election of 1969, when the then governing coalition won 66% of Parliament seats.
As we all know, the Opposition Alliance not only recaptured the state of Kelantan this year, but also added the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor into its fold. Together the three opposition parties won 82 of the 222 parliamentary seats at stake during the general elections. In the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, the Alliance won 10 out of 11 seats in Parliament. Since then, the Alliance leaders have consolidated their cooperation by forming ‘Pakatan Rakyat’, led collectively by the three opposition parties to uphold the rights and interests of all Malaysians. Today, Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor are recognised as Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
It is not surprising that a vast majority of disillusioned Malaysians welcome Pakatan Rakyat as bringing what has been termed as a much-needed “Wind of Change”. The general sentiment is that there is hope of a better day for all, irrespective of race, creed or colour. And a closer look at the pre-election manifestos of the PR component parties appears to point towards this.
Take the stand of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in relation to the poor and marginalised. Greater employment opportunities, better living standards including providing quality, accessible and affordable health-care for all Malaysians, provision of safe and affordable water in sufficient quantity, and even a Malaysia Bonus of up to RM6,000 for those with household incomes of RM6,000 or less per annum, are just some of the key benefits mentioned.
Meanwhile, the People’s Justice Party, better known as KeADILan, has promised to enforce a constitutional state, and to bring about a vibrant economy, safer streets, affordable cost of living and better education for all. Discriminative policies that only enrich the elites are to be replaced with a policy that ensures assistance for the poor, regardless of race, and this is to be achieved by eliminating corruption and wastage.
Not to be left out is the Party Islam Se-Malaysia, commonly known as PAS, with its manifesto slogan of “A Nation of Care and Opportunity”. PAS has also promised to slash the cost of living, to ensure racial and religious equality and justice for all in economic opportunities, as well as Freedom of religion. Their emphasis is on establishing a trustworthy, just and clean government which will ultimately be able to give the people a better life. Also mentioned is their plan to safeguard the interests of the nation through prudent management of state wealth and resources and a balanced approach to development.
Given this deluge of promises, the question that arises for us is what this “Wind of Change” will mean for the poor and needy in Malaysia. Will their concerns be given the priority they deserve, or will they remain just a convenient cause to be brought up at every election campaign?
I think what is important is that those who have been given the privilege to serve the rakyat live up to what they have promised, particularly with regard to the vulnerable communities. Whatever the winds of change may bring, the poor and needy must never be forgotten. And, whether we are politicians or ordinary people, they are our responsibility.
Statistics today indicate that 5.1 per cent of households in Malaysia come under the poverty line, and while this percentage may appear small, it represents a great need to be met. As believers, we know that God Himself is attentive to the cries of the poor, even as Scripture is filled with reminders to feed the hungry and minister to the needy. The plight of the poverty-stricken in Malaysia has not escaped His eyes, and we believe that He who breathed life into man is in control of all things – even winds of change – to result in hope for those who call out to Him.
Indeed, there is renewed hope for the poor in our nation, even as we see that plans have been set in motion to address their needs. At the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, Malaysia was among the 189 heads of governments who signed the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), of which the first of eight goals is aimed towards eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Even before the signing, Malaysia had already set similar development goals since back in the ‘70s, and the results are already being seen. In its recent manifesto, the incumbent Barisan Nasional announced its progress in reducing hardcore poverty from 1.2% of the population to 0.7%, as well as successfully reducing overall poverty from 5.7% to 3.5%. They have also pledged to eradicate hardcore poverty and bring the overall poverty rate down to 2.8% by 2010, meaning that achieving the MDG target of halving poverty well before 2015 should be practically attainable.
Let me end with the concluding paragraphs from Tricia Yeoh’s commentary on Malaysia’s 12th General Elections 2008 for Revolution of Hope (RoH Malaysia), which serves as a fitting reminder that we are to persevere on in our ministry to the vulnerable communities till by God’s grace, hope becomes reality.
“Perseverance and longsuffering take on a new meaning in light of this new Malaysia. Many strived towards achieving a goal, although this goal was nowhere near in sight. Underlying this was a belief, real or imagined, that someday their work would reap good fruit. Now, whether or not these results would have been harvested in one’s lifetime is irrelevant, since dedication to a cause (for social, economic and political justice) should not be influenced by one’s belief in its ease of attainment. No, many should (and would) have continued working anyway, in creating a better society, whether or not the Elections resulted in opposition obtaining zero or 82 Parliamentary seats.
The point is, sweet victory was tasted and it is a welcome reminder that little “kingdoms on earth” can be exemplified right here, right now. Why the results of the Elections are considered a victory is not because Barisan Nasional lost numerous seats, nor was it because the Opposition control five out of 13 state Governments, a fivefold achievement. It is because Malaysians are now pointed in the direction of democratisation, an equitable society, social justice, principled governance (over and above race-based politics), public accountability, and freedom of expression. For all political parties to recognise this is a giant step for the country. Now begins the actual work in putting rhetoric into practice. Malaysians are holding their breath, but they acknowledge this. That this outcome has been a blessing of the most extraordinary kind. We pray that the promises given by the various political parties will see fulfillment, bringing about a refreshing wind of change for the poor and needy in Malaysia.
