LETTER | There is an expectation of a change of government after the coming election. But a mere change of government may not be enough, especially for the young who are disillusioned with politics and politicians.

They think the opposition will do the same thing if they come to power. No difference. So, why bother to participate in the political process? They don’t register or do not vote or spoil their vote.

If the opposition should win the next election, there must be more than a change of government.

There must be a change of principles. These principles are not complex. They are basic - I would call them Government 101. But they are fundamental to the kind of government most Malaysians want.

What are these critical principles the opposition should uphold?

1. Fundamental freedoms

The power and scope of government need to be limited. The fundamental rights and liberties of citizens have to be protected. Too much government is both dangerous and dysfunctional.

The new government has to advance the cause of democracy. All existing laws that limit the development of a viable democracy must be reviewed. There must be respect for the Federal Constitution and the spirit behind it.

2. Zero tolerance for corruption

From day one, the new government must make it abundantly clear that corruption will not be tolerated. This must be reflected in its policies and actions. This requires restructuring many existing institutions at different levels of the government.

3. Separation of powers

The executive, judiciary and legislative must remain separate and act to check each other for abuse of power.

4. Transparent government

There must be no place for the government to hide. Government processes must be open to public scrutiny. Public debate on government must be protected.

The new government has to review all laws that presently prohibit or limit such public debate. The people must hold the government accountable, not jut through their vote but also between elections.

5. Equality of treatment

No discrimination based on race, religion or privilege. All citizens to be equal. Affirmative action to be deployed to assist all disadvantaged groups. It cannot be a government for the rich and powerful or any ethnic group. It must be a government for all. This is a long-term direction for the new government, not something for the first 100 days.

6. Creating excellence

Human resource decisions need to be based on merit and competence. To prepare the Malaysian workforce for a global, competitive market, the focus has to be on performance, not privilege and special rights.

Affirmative action, where and when needed, must fall within this context of creating excellence. The goal of excellence calls for a review of our universities, schools, and government decision making.

7. A representative civil service

The civil service needs to be restructured (gradually though) to be more representative of a multi-racial society. The principle of merit and performance should be the foundation for the operation of the government and the public bureaucracy.

8. Innovative management of the economy

The economy has to be managed prudently and innovatively for the country to prosper in a competitive, global environment. Economic decisions and policies have to be rational, both financially and socially.

The new government has to concentrate on economic growth, structural reforms, inflation, job creation, the mounting national debt and foreign labour. Economic goals have to include social restructuring, income redistribution, and quality of life. Here, affirmative actions will be relevant.

9. National integration

Diversity, not uniformity, should be the guiding principle for the new government. Within diversity, policies and programmes need to be designed to create a “Malaysian” identity, especially in the young.

This requires a fresh look at our schools, universities, and race-based policies. National integration has to include integrating Sabah and Sarawak with the mainland by resolving current areas of discontent.

10. National interests must come first

All domestic and foreign policies must place national interests first. The long-term interests of the country must prevail over the short-term interests of the government in power. Government exists to protect and advance national interests and the welfare of its citizens.

If Pakatan Harapan should come to power, the performance of the new government has to be subject to scrutiny. The 10 “tests” highlighted here can be a useful check-list for this purpose.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.