Zaid wants Sabah, S'wak to lead on reform agenda

Pakatan Rakyat pro-tem chair Zaid Ibrahim is convinced that Sabah and Sarawak are in a unique position to make the opposition coalition’s agenda for change and reform really work.

 “They can reach across to moderate Malaysians on the peninsula, to save the country from Umno which has become a lunatic fringe.”

The starting point, according to the former Umno de facto Law Minister, is East Malaysia's insistence on federal government compliance with several legal arrangements.

This includes the 20 Points, state rights, autonomy and the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, among others.

“Together, you (Sabah, Sarawak) have 56 seats in Parliament. Use this to full effect,” said Zaid at a gathering of opposition leaders in Kota Kinabalu last night. “When you succeed, the states in Peninsular Malaysia will benefit too.”

It was often forgotten in the east-west polemics over Malaysia, said Zaid, that the federal government is also not honouring the 1948 Federation of Malaya Agreement.

“The states must be given back their powers and rights under the three-tier system of government that is the very basis of the federation,” said Zaid.

Thwarted at every turn

The basis of his arguments for devolution was that Malaysia had degenerated over the past half century towards a unitary state, the result being “no respect for the rule of law”.

“I tried for over 20 years to institute reforms from within Umno. I failed. It is time to try from the outside although it is proving to be almost as difficult,” Zaid admitted.

 “The last straw was when both my hands and legs were tied after I was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and charged with law reform.”

When former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi ( right ) pledged that he was serious about law reform, he said he could hardly believe it but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. This was the basis on which he accepted the challenge and the cabinet post.  

He had no choice but to throw in the towel when he was stymied at every turn by Umno warlords on law reform. “Umno is beyond reform. Umno will never change,” said Zaid at the packed hall.

“In fact, they will do everything to cling on to power by means foul and fair.”

 He drew parallels between Malaysia and Japan as an example.

“In Japan, the people voted out the ruling LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) after 52 years,” said Zaid.

“There was a smooth transition of power because no one in government is beholden to the ruling party. You need not bring democracy to Japan.”

Infiltrated with cadres

In Malaysia, by contrast, Umno has infiltrated every branch of government with hard-core card-carrying cadres who are at the wish and command of the ruling party.

The resultant climate of fear has been used to good effect to deny the people a democratic choice of government for than half a century.

Turning to the opposition, he categorised the extreme challenges facing it  as not only external but internal as well.

On the internal front, he highlighted the pre-occupation with seats, posts and positions ‘instead of principles and priorities’.

Then, there were persistent attempts to bring in the corrupt politics of patronage of Umno into the PR-ruled states, alleged Zaid. “This has so far cost us Perak.”  

“What is happening in Sabah and Sarawak? Why the pre-occupation with who becomes the chief minister?"  asked Zaid.

He pointed out that under a PR government, the chief minister is not going to be confined forever to any particular group, be all-powerful or get away with anything under the sun.

His best advice to Sabah and Sarawak was to maintain total unity as the opposition and take on the BN one-to-one.

No repeat

 

The message here was not to repeat the mistakes of the March 2008 General Elections, “when even the candidates list was changed at the last minute without the agreement of all. Is it any wonder when people say that there is little difference between PR and the ruling BN?” he asked.

The gathering was tickled pink when the PR chief reminded the audience that “some people are even saying that there is little difference between Zulkifli Noordin ( left ) and Zaid Ibrahim”.

He surmised that such warped logic may be the reason that there are moves to take disciplinary action against him.

“If you ask me, we in PR don’t need people like Zulkifli Noordin. He should be kicked out and that’s it,” said Zaid.

“What kind of message does it send out to the electorate when we hang on to characters like this and preach about change and reform at the same time?”

Zaid’s major worry is that the message of the opposition alliance has not really gone out to the people and something needed to be done about this.

“I am willing to come here as often as possible, if invited, to help ensure the opposition alliance remains rock solid and committed to the agenda for change and reform,” said Zaid.  

Outgoing Sabah PKR state secretary Mursalim Tanjul expressed concern over the future of PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) without Anwar.  

“If it happens, we will have to just accept it and live with it. The opposition has to be about more than one man,” said Zaid.

“It’s true that Anwar helped forge greater opposition unity. But the desire for unity had always been there even before when Anwar was in Umno.”