COMMENT | Making a mess out of politics
COMMENT | The political scene in Malaysia will be very messy if elected representatives, at federal or state level, were to squabble incessantly over who commands the majority of seats in Parliament or the state legislative assembly.
Every time a political crisis erupts as a result of this bickering, the government cannot function effectively which, in turn, will have a crippling effect on economic growth.
Eventually, political turmoil combined with economic decline will create widespread social unrest, which can be inimical to the overall health of the country.
Invariably, trouble starts when the "number game" keeps changing, with each side claiming it has the numbers to form a government. When they hit a dead-end, there are two options left: either a neutral party steps in and call both sides to a meeting or the law-making body can be dissolved and a fresh election called...
COMMENT | The political scene in Malaysia will be very messy if elected representatives, at federal or state level, were to squabble incessantly over who commands the majority of seats in Parliament or the state legislative assembly.
Every time a political crisis erupts as a result of this bickering, the government cannot function effectively which, in turn, will have a crippling effect on economic growth.
Eventually, political turmoil combined with economic decline will create widespread social unrest, which can be inimical to the overall health of the country.
Invariably, trouble starts when the "number game" keeps changing, with each side claiming it has the numbers to form a government. When they hit a dead-end, there are two options left: either a neutral party steps in and call both sides to a meeting or the law-making body can be dissolved and a fresh election called.
Both options do not speak well of the politicians elected to do their job. The first route implies that they are incapable of settling their differences and must need outside help to see the light.
To opt for the second alternative - seeking a dissolution - before the term of a government ends implies that politicians are only interested in scoring points in the battle of the ballot.
But in the Malaysian political arena, it has become the norm that when the opposition wins at federal or state level the other side will not accept defeat and will go all-out to destabilise the government.
For most of the decades, the BN had been enjoying power unchallenged. But when it lost control, it did not bow out graciously but resorted to foul tactics to win over some wavering members on the other winning side to get back its majority.
This sordid scene was played out during the political crisis in Perak (above) in 2009 and today, the same act is repeated in many states following the aftermath of the 2018 general election. Pakatan Harapan even lost federal power when intense quarrelling and double-crossing destroyed its unity.
What is the cure for this rampant political disease? There is no remedy because politics these days is all about status, wealth, power. All the qualities needed to bring about good governance are sorely lacking in most of our politicians.
Worse still, politics has been given a bad name by the nauseating examples of some top leaders who used political means to achieve the nefarious ends of enriching themselves.
Politics now is all about making money because cash is considered king. Greenhorns who enter politics see this business as a goldmine and are eager to get their hands dirty with this filthy lucre.
But those who caused the most trouble are the ones who do not possess rock-solid principles that will keep them from falling into temptation. These are the "frogs" who cannot think intelligently and rationally but will leap to the other side at the drop of a coin. Newcomers or "tadpoles" will soon learn to jump onto the bandwagon.
The upshot is, Malaysia will continue to be rocked by political upheavals as politicians, like naughty schoolchildren, misbehave in their noisy dash for sweets and carrots thrown at them.
Parliament and all its sister assemblies are places not to be denigrated. Unfortunately, the politicians of today pay only lip service to the quiet dignity of the law-making bodies.
As soon as they enter the arenas, they are more interested in switching sides and changing loyalty than in ensuring the government remains stable and predictable. They transform the legislative bodies into theatres of the absurd and display their "farcical face" without batting an eye.
PHLIP RODRIGUES is a retired journalist.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
