The Malaysian Foreign Ministry’s response to the European Parliament resolution on Malaysia is unfortunate, to say the least.

Such a response has exposed the Najib Abdul Razak administration’s hypocrisy; on one hand we want to be a model of moderation in the world and we champion human rights in countries such as Palestine. But on the other hand the government not only restricts human rights domestically, it also refuses international scrutiny.

What is the difference then between the Najib administration and the Zionist regime when our former opposition leader was subjected to a trial which was heavily criticised by the international legal fraternity for failing to meet the standard of a fair trial? People are being abused, harassed, arrested, charged just for participating in peaceful assemblies. No wonder the government refused to be scrutinised for fear of being exposed as another Zionist regime!

Najib’s international campaign for moderation not felt and not believed at home

The prime minister must realise that moderation and human rights are not some nice consultant-drafted speeches in the UN or the like. But rather it must be real actions of the government, especially in how it treats its citizens, more so how it treats voices of dissent.

At home, the Najib administration is losing the very moral high ground it sought to stand on when it chided the European Parliament resolution. Today not only the opposition and civil society are coming together to protest the corruption and abuse of power by the government, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who was president of the ruling party for more than two decades, has become one of its fiercest critics.

In the last general election, 52 percent of Malaysians had rejected the Umno-led ruling coalition, evidence of Malaysians disapproval of the government’s abuses.

The Foreign Ministry’s response is yet another one of Najib’s ‘no-shows’

It is clear, but refusing and rejecting international scrutiny, Prime Minister Najib has once again did a ‘no show’, the same thing he did at a forum organised by his supporters ironically called ‘Nothing2hide’, and during the Transparency International conference in Putrajaya as well as when he evaded from answering about 1MDB in Parliament despite having promised Malaysians a month before to do so.

Yet, the European Parliament resolution shows that Najib can no longer hide. Malaysia and Malaysians are suffering humiliation because of this scandal-ridden government, but what is worse is, Bank Negara has already earlier warned of the crisis of confidence and credibility we are facing. Without a change in the regime or a regime change, this crisis of confidence and credibility will only get worse leading us to being, what Mahathir called, “a pariah state”.

Today, the EU may issued a parliamentary resolution, what if tomorrow it starts to exert greater economic and political pressure? The government must not take this early friendly warning lightly. Otherwise, in the end Najib will be staying in power at an immense cost at the expense of the people.

STEVEN SIM CHEE KEONG is the MP for Bukit Mertajam; deputy spokesperson, DAP Parliamentary Committees for Human Resources, and Women and Welfare; and member, Penang state government’s Women, Family and Community Development Committee.