The Perak’s coup and the subsequent Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA) between the PN and PH is a new political milestone of reform in the country. It represents a turning point in the Malaysia politics for the better.
The significance of the CSA can never be over-stated. There are namely:
1. Systematic reforms in that
(a) the opposition law-maker will chair the State Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee to provide better check on the Executive’s power.
(b) All ADUNs (including the Opposition ADUNs) will have equal constituency allocation so that the people will not be “punished” for supporting the Opposition.
(c) All ADUNs (including the opposition ADUNs) will be part of the District Action Committee and Disasters Management Committee for more inclusive and effective implementation of government policies and services to the people.
(d) Opposition Leader’s position formalized with the necessary allocations to run the Opposition Leader’s office
(e) Fair allocation for all vernacular schools and religious bodies.
2. It replaces the confrontational politics of 2 coalitions into a multi-partisan and multi-lateral co-operation for a more stable political environment without compromising the need for check and balance. On the contrary, with the appointments of Opposition ADUNs as the PAC chairman and all the Government’s Action committees, it has enhanced the Opposition’s supervisory roles.
3. It enhances the role and effectiveness of the Opposition in influencing and formulation of government policies.
4. As the 2 major parties in the 2 coalitions agreeing to the CSA are UMNO and DAP, this will reduce the racial politics that has been the hallmark of UMNO all these years. By agreeing to the CSA with PH and having to rely on the support of the PH for UMNO to remain as a stable government, UMNO Perak will have to tone down its racial rhetoric and focus more on governance and delivery to the people.
The Perak CSA is undoubtedly the way forward for the country to replace confrontational politics with more inclusive and constructive politics in the country. All this will not be possible had there not been a change of Government in 2018.
As for Sarawak, the GPS is still running the State in the most exclusive and opaque manner. The GPS Government still subscribe the notion of depriving the Opposition ADUNs their rightful constituency allocation, exclude the ADUNs from the Government’s action committee even in the management of disasters, non-recognition of the Opposition Leader position and keeping the PAC chairman post to only the government’s ADUNs.
The operation of State Government agencies remains shielded from scrutiny by the Opposition ADUNs. Such agencies include the major agencies like the DBOS and PETROS which involves billions of State fund. Even the racial breakdown of the civil servants of the State Government were kept a secret by the State and ADUNs were disallowed to ask questions on its composition even in Sarawak DUN.
As Perak’s politic has now move forward for more openness, co-operation and inclusive, it is high time for Sarawak’s GPS to abandon its archaic practice of the last century.
Chong Chieng Jen
Dap Sarawak Chairman
