A popular slogan may yet ring again
COMMENT | "To save Malaysia" has become a popular slogan and is a surefire way to win an election. This was amply borne out in 2018 when the slogan was used as the shield of Pakatan Harapan. The people responded enthusiastically and bade BN farewell.
But there is a world of a difference between the conditions existing at that time and the atmosphere now. Then Malaysia was truly in a bad shape as a result of ruinous policies and abuse of power...
COMMENT | "To save Malaysia" has become a popular slogan and is a surefire way to win an election. This was amply borne out in 2018 when the slogan was used as the shield of Pakatan Harapan. The people responded enthusiastically and bade BN farewell.
But there is a world of a difference between the conditions existing at that time and the atmosphere now. Then Malaysia was truly in a bad shape as a result of ruinous policies and abuse of power.
The country was on the brink of collapse, but fortunately, the people did indeed save her from falling over the cliff. There were riotous scenes of joy everywhere as people celebrated the triumph of democracy.
Malaysia was moving on the right track as she was slowly nursed back to health. It would take at least five years for the "patient" to fully recover. In the meantime, the wheel of life turned on as usual.
But suddenly the wheel came to an abrupt halt as Harapan was taken down from its pedestal. The country was rocked by a political event, giving rise to a false sense of crisis. The crisis was manufactured by disgruntled politicians in the Harapan ranks.
People did not think the so-called political turmoil posed a real threat to the very survival of the nation. A sense of crisis is missing; instead, all looked with disgust at the antics of the political ringmasters.
A political crisis can be solved if all parties to a dispute put their heads together and hammer out a peaceful solution. The main actors in Harapan chose not to take this path; they took a treacherous road paved with intrigues and conspiracies. In the end, they did themselves in.
Yet new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin resorted to the same slogan to rationalise his takeover. After all, it was also his battle cry as he led Bersatu under the Harapan banner in those exciting times. He thought the catchy slogan bandied about in 2018 would work wonders again. He believed Malaysians would rally to him immediately if he uses the catchphrase.
The slogan this time did not catch fire. As he spoke to the nation, he must have realised that his words rang hollow. What he did on that day of infamy was not heroic or chivalrous. It would go down in history as a day of shame.
The only people gleefully embracing him, thumping his back, pumping his hand are the losers of 2018 who hope to see their political career resurrected by their political marriage with Bersatu.
The new coalition has only three years to rule and it is unlikely that it will enjoy a honeymoon period. The people are less likely to listen to the speeches of Muhyiddin as he strives to be a (reluctant) prime minister for all Malaysians.
But all eyes will be on him by virtue of his high post. He is the prime minister who now has all the powers at his disposal to do good or ill. The spotlight will also be on his partners and how much influence they can wield in his cabinet.
If the Muhyiddin era is marked by policy blunders, gross injustice, racial bias, religious bigotry, then come 2023, the people will troop to the polling booths to save Malaysia yet again - this time from Muhyiddin
PHLIP RODRIGUES is a retired journalist.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
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