YOURSAY | A free election does not a democracy make. Not yet.
Dr M has finally made M'sia a democracy, now cash is not king
Headhunter: Very well-articulated, Malaysiakini columnist Commander (Rtd) S Thayaparan.
With the talents at the disposal of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, I hope he can harness them to uplift the country to the level on par with the best in the world, something that every Malaysian can be proud of.
This is an opportune time to steer away from the racial and bigoted policies of the past which did a lot of harm to us all.
Good governance, fair distribution of wealth and proper healthcare should be the new order.
We are seeing the light at the end of the long tunnel so let's not let it die again. Malaysians have spoken.
David Dass: Yes, now the reforms must take place. There must be constitutional amendments to restore the authority of the judiciary.
Mahathir and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim know the importance of having a powerful and independent judiciary.
The doctrine of separation of powers must be more deeply entrenched. The MACC must be made answerable only to Parliament. The office of auditor-general must be enhanced and he must also report directly to Parliament.
Clearly, there will be some reorganisation of Umno, hopefully race-based parties will go. And when that happens, the role of the opposition should be enhanced.
There should be a shadow cabinet and they should be funded so that they have resources to aid them in doing research and carrying out their responsibilities.
We should initiate the practice of UK-style select committees. And the New Economic Policy (NEP) should be reformulated to target the poor of all communities.
There is much to be done. Now we are becoming a developed country. Clearly, we are mature enough for democracy. Well done, Malaysians.
Tony Soprano: I agree with Thayaparan and commenter David Dass.
Moreover, a free election does not a democracy make. Not yet. Three other elements are required to call oneself a democracy:
1. Co-equal separation of the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
2. Accountability of public servants.
3. A free and unfettered press, with the same freedom of expression extended to the public.
And I don't mean freedom except for statements that "hurt [somebody's] feelings." I mean freedom of speech means freedom of speech.
Malaysiakini has barely escaped the clutches of mainland China-style censorship and outright shutting down.
Now let's see if Mahathir doesn't repeat his Look East policies, this time toward China, and emulate China's all-too efficient censorship practices.
A New Dawn: Thayaparan and fellow writer Dr KJ John, there are no questions about your commitment towards change. You have put personal freedom at risk for the love of the nation.
Children and grandchildren of Malaysians will talk for a long time about people like you, the Ambigas, the Rafizis and the newly elected representatives, many whom have endured prison, loss of dignity, loss of freedom, and the numerous unsung heroes who did their little bit every day to bring hope for Malaysia.
A new Malaysia was born on May 9 and now many of us, the common people, must remember the work is far from done.
We need to continue to contribute in every way we can and cannot expect the politicians to fix all the problems simply because we elected them. We all know where the previous faith and experience in that experiment of 60 years left us.
Anonymous_1e23ccf0: Dear Commander, your ability to articulate your thoughts on any matter that you put your mind to is unsurpassed.
We have waited for this day for a very long time but to really understand all of its meaning, one had to read your piece.
I shall look forward to many more years of your penmanship of thoughts and ideas.
Just_A_Rakyat: Well written, commander. May you continue to write your mind, my ears are always ready.
Thank you, Malaysiakini, for without you we never have an alternative news channel that published articles without fear or favour.
Apa Nama: Two very important rules shall in place. The prime minister shall only serve for two terms.
We need to have PMQ on weekly basis for 30 minutes in Parliament, as a starting point. I mean ‘Primer Minister's Questions’.
These two will ensure any PM will be on his or her toes forever. The PM is also forced to come to Parliament on weekly basis. No more playing truant.
Abasir: To quickly set the agenda for change, all that need be done is to systematically isolate every self-serving act, process and policy put in place by the kleptocratic regime and then reverse or remove it.
This scrupulous weeding out should be followed by the establishment of policies and practices based on time-tested and universally acknowledged principles of good people-centric governance.
The recalibration of the nation's "internal business processes" requires clinical objectivity, especially if such onerous tasks are assigned to civil servants weaned on Umno's rules.
There are several good men and women in the new management and they should be tasked with overseeing this vital house-cleaning effort. There is really no time to celebrate because expectations of those starved of good governance for so long are running high.
Malaysiakini may have a significant role to play in articulating and fuelling the transformation. It may continue to keep the newly-elected on their toes and stay focused by highlighting priorities.
Readers may supply experiential input from the ground. And Malaysiakini columnists like Thayaparan and P Gunasegaram, among others, may help articulate issues and urgencies that may otherwise remain below the waterline.
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These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
