Reform: Not about blind embrace of the new

The political framework in Malaysia is crying out for reform but former Umno vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah warns that reform is not about the blind embrace of the new.

For that, said the veteran politician of royal descent, "would be to fly from disorder to confusion."

Speaking at a book launch in Kuala Lumpur, he said the path to reform must come from a recovery of the 'old' living spirit of constitutionalism the 'old' values of freedom and justice and the 'old' memories each Malaysian carry in themselves of what is good about this nation.

Razaleigh, who is the MP for Gua Musang, also stressed that national reform must begin with the reform of the party system.

"This is because one of the chief reasons this nation is sick is that we have a diseased party system. A diagnosis of the disease of the party system finds that the parties are sick because they have strayed from the constitutional principles that govern them (they are subject to the Societies Act).

"In doing so they have become undemocratic. In becoming undemocratic they have lost legitimacy. In losing legitimacy they have lost public support and the ability to rejuvenate themselves," he said.

"The cure, surely is for them to conform themselves again to constitutional principles," he added.

People seek accountability and justice

Turning to Umno, Razaleigh, who unsuccessfully challenged Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the party presidency in 1987, said he had cautioned the party that change was inevitable.

"I have warned that Umno, like any other political party that has been in power for so long, must reform, or it will be tossed out by the people," he said.

"The people themselves have had a taste of the power of their free vote. They know that parties and governments answer to the people, and not vice versa, they want a repeal of draconian laws, and they have lost patience with corruption.

"They seek accountability, justice and rule of law. The people are ahead of the government of the day but the principles they want to see applied are universal and they are enshrined in our constitution," he added.

The former finance minister also pointed out that it is just not Umno that needs to reform but the entire political system has to change to be in greater conformity with the constitution.

"We should not expect our political parties to reform of their own accord. Leaders who owe their position to undemocratic and racialised rules and practices are the last people to accept reform.

"The people must demand it. I say we need a movement embraced by people at all levels and from every quarter to establish a national consensus on how our political parties should conduct themselves from now on," he said.

Underscoring the importance of an empowered public, Razaleigh said democracy in Malaysia would be fragile so long as public opinion remains weak.

Uneasy about ethnic relations

Meanwhile, the veteran politician also said that in the aftermath of the scene-shifting March 2008 general election, people have become restless and uneasy about ethnic relations and their future.

"There is a sense of anxiety about our nation that is often translated into fear of ethnic conflict. I think we should not fear.

"On an inviolable foundation of equal citizenship, the rights of each and every community are protected. These protections are guaranteed in the constitution," he added.

He said what Malaysians should feel uneasy about is not so much ethnic discord, "which is often manufactured for political ends and has little basis in the daily experience of our citizens", but the subversion of our constitution.

"Such subversion is only possible if we forget that this constitution belongs to us, protects us all, and underwrites our nationhood and we fail to defend it," he added.

Razaleigh said that a strong spirit of constitutionalism guided its early decades, adding that the components of that spirit are respect and understanding for the rule of law, and the upholding of justice and liberty.

"That spirit is antithetical to communal bickering and small-minded squabbling over fixed pie notions of education, economy or whatever.

"That spirit has declined and with it has come all kinds of unease. It is time we recovered it. With its recovery will come our confidence as a nation once more," he added.