Opposition parties should have clear public policy of their own, gather a shadow spokespersons team to check on the government if you want the votes
The BN opposition previously under the leadership of the then Umno president had put in order a group of Umno and MCA members of parliament to form a shadow cabinet in order to provide the necessary check and balance on the current PH government.
However, to our dismay, this so-called BN shadow cabinet has not been working on what they are supposed to. Instead these BN MPs particularly those from Umno had continue to raise issues and tensions on matters relating to race and religion. Worst of all these BN MPs had failed to show their maturity during the parliamentary sessions. Trading insults and gender remarks against fellow MPS has been their kind of characteristics since from day one and as the result, the parliament has been seen like a “zoo” whenever this kind of BN MPs are in session.
So, do you all think that these BN MPs will become credible opposition in the bench in providing an effective checks and balance on the PH government? Well, we cannot see that until today. Even if a BN MP is appointed to chair the Public Accounts Committee, would there be any effective practice on the same.
Yes, some BN MPs are serious in wanting to put their roles on work but sad to say that majority of the BN MPs are still in their immature kind of show and outlook. They are not serious in their parliamentary business, most of them do not want to carry out research on matters related to governance, reports, statistics in order to debate subjects and topics under their scope (of their shadow cabinet), instead choose to absent themselves on many sessions citing official functions and businesses they need to attend to.
With an ineffective opposition on the bench and no checks and balance available, we cannot see how this PH government is able to set the entire governing institution and parliamentary system into proper “Westminster system” when the BN MPs refuse to come together to ensure this system becomes more effective in a way real democracy can be seen as performing to serve our nation.
Since the BN shadow cabinet isn’t working that well, simply because their MPs are not interested or maybe they didn’t know how to become a credible opposition MPs, it is time for our people to look for credible opposition parties which is currently sitting outside of the parliament and state assemblies.
From our point of view, there are few opposition parties having no elected representatives in the parliament nor state assemblies, notably Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).
Why pick them as notable examples?
PSM has been in and out of the parliament and state assembly for some time since 2008 but they have been contesting under the ticket of a more dominant opposition party. However, when they had decided to go against the tide recently, PSM lost all their seats to PH because they have been lacking of a strong support particularly from those in the majority middle class because of their strong focus on the grassroots and lower income groups.
Asides, PSM failure to win any seats in last year’s general election had also attributed to their failure to look into the importance of policy making and the need of an alternative policy presentation to the public. Unleashing a third-party manifesto which PSM promised to undertake has been ineffective to convince the people to vote for them.
Instead, PSM should focus on long term policy making and debates in order to convince the voters of their ability to understanding the art of governance and administration, and they could come into terms of becoming a governing party one day. But PSM has been ineffective in such measures.
Being a political party with some support from the grassroots and active in protests, demonstrations and problem solving are not sufficient to push PSM forward to be wholly-accepted by voters to represent them in the parliament or state assemblies. Solving problems and protests against issues which are repeating are not in a way that will stop those issues forever. PSM failed to provide an alternative policy or mechanism that will help to put a stop on those failing channels “in event of coming to power” one day.
Until now, PSM today is still lack of political will to focus more energy on establishing a team of shadow spokesperson to oversee the performance of the PH government based on the respective ministry portfolios, preferring instead, to carry on with their typical welfare work thus, rendering them to be seen like an ordinary NGO instead of being an effective political party which intends to create a better nation for our people.
As for Gerakan, the party has once been a major ruling party in the state of Penang but has been in decline since Gerakan lost its power based in 2008 general election following public dissatisfaction over the party’s performance and being overly subservient to the dominant party Umno in the BN coalition.
Gerakan has been trying to re-invent itself while still under the BN coalition but had continuously failed to maintain its position when it failed to garner any seats in the later two general elections.
Gerakan tried again in 2018 under the BN’s fold but failed miserably until its announced the party’s pullout from the BN’s wing in aftermath of the 14th general election reasoning that they wanted to reinvent and rebrand the party as an effective opposition party with no ties with any other coalition.
Although the party has almost had all its top leaders changed, but the conservative ones still remain intact in their respective positions at the state, division and branch levels which saw not much impacts of being a party lead by a “newer generation” of leaders.
Since Gerakan is no more in the BN’s fold, they ought to have their own public policies in place in order to create a difference from their past association with BN but this has not been done. Instead Gerakan leaders tend to focus on petty issues and adhoc matters which does not produce any results or alternative solutions to our people.
Asides that, Gerakan leaders had also failed to take advantage of their past experience in the government by forming a team of shadow spokespersons be it at the federal level or state level to create an effective oversight to the present government’s policies and implementations, as well as to highlight alternative public policies where they could convince the people to return their support come next general elections.
Gerakan leaders has been saying “back to basics” many times since after 9 May 2019, but to what kind of effect have they make for their party to return to their glorious days? They are now celebrating their 50+1 anniversary, with a slogan revitalise and sail anew, where are the effectiveness of all these celebrations and slogans?
Gerakan needs to be practical in a sense that they should be carrying out their oversight responsibilities being an independent opposition party today. To get back the votes they had lost, it is not the time to celebrate, instead Gerakan needs to totally reset to confront the new and emerging challenging facing a Modern Malaysia.
The party leaders are still stuck in their conservative mentality and they were not adequately responding to the hopes and aspirations of a Malaysia that is moving away from its colonial and traditional pasts.
Lastly on PRM, the party does have its past glorious days when it made some inroads in local government elections during the 60s. time has roll over on and on the leaders in PRM has been changing, one part of the faction in the party has decided to merge with Parti Keadilan Nasional to become Parti Keadilan Rakyat, while the other faction choose to remain as PRM and to fight it on until today.
The very disappointing look at PRM today, is they had completely stopped working after the general election, and PRM has now become only a party for elections, instead of party to serve our people. Unlike PSM, PRM has rendered inactive since all its candidates lost in the last general elections. PRM has capable leaders of the past and present, but they too lack of political will to continue their quest to convince the people of their right alternative.
Instead, PRM went into isolation immediately after all their candidates had lost. PRM has the potential to re-emerge as a brand new independent opposition party if the current leaders were to embrace modernization, change and reform in the party to strengthen its position particularly in policy making, carrying out research and oversight activities.
PRM missed it chance of rebranding prior to 14th general elections by not formulating a clear public policy for our people’s review, but instead tend to focus only “give us a chance” campaign which served no purpose of the party’s course.
If you want to get people start voting for you, the simple concept here is, put in place your public policies, provide effective oversight on government policies and implementations, strengthen your political will, put the country above the party.
Although the party has almost had all its top leaders changed, but the conservative ones still remain intact in their respective positions at the state, division and branch levels which saw not much impacts of being a party lead by a “newer generation” of leaders.
Since Gerakan is no more in the BN’s fold, they ought to have their own public policies in place in order to create a difference from their past association with BN but this has not been done. Instead Gerakan leaders tend to focus on petty issues and adhoc matters which does not produce any results or alternative solutions to our people.
Asides that, Gerakan leaders had also failed to take advantage of their past experience in the government by forming a team of shadow spokespersons be it at the federal level or state level to create an effective oversight to the present government’s policies and implementations, as well as to highlight alternative public policies where they could convince the people to return their support come next general elections.
Gerakan leaders has been saying “back to basics” many times since after 9 May 2019, but to what kind of effect have they make for their party to return to their glorious days? They are now celebrating their 50+1 anniversary, with a slogan revitalise and sail anew, where are the effectiveness of all these celebrations and slogans?
Gerakan needs to be practical in a sense that they should be carrying out their oversight responsibilities being an independent opposition party today. To get back the votes they had lost, it is not the time to celebrate, instead Gerakan needs to totally reset to confront the new and emerging challenging facing a Modern Malaysia.
The party leaders are still stuck in their conservative mentality and they were not adequately responding to the hopes and aspirations of a Malaysia that is moving away from its colonial and traditional pasts.
Lastly on PRM, the party does have its past glorious days when it made some inroads in local government elections during the 60s. time has roll over on and on the leaders in PRM has been changing, one part of the faction in the party has decided to merge with Parti Keadilan Nasional to become Parti Keadilan Rakyat, while the other faction choose to remain as PRM and to fight it on until today.
The very disappointing look at PRM today, is they had completely stopped working after the general election, and PRM has now become only a party for elections, instead of party to serve our people. Unlike PSM, PRM has rendered inactive since all its candidates lost in the last general elections. PRM has capable leaders of the past and present, but they too lack of political will to continue their quest to convince the people of their right alternative.
Instead, PRM went into isolation immediately after all their candidates had lost. PRM has the potential to re-emerge as a brand new independent opposition party if the current leaders were to embrace modernization, change and reform in the party to strengthen its position particularly in policy making, carrying out research and oversight activities.
PRM missed it chance of rebranding prior to 14th general elections by not formulating a clear public policy for our people’s review, but instead tend to focus only “give us a chance” campaign which served no purpose of the party’s course.
If you want to get people start voting for you, the simple concept here is, put in place your public policies, provide effective oversight on government policies and implementations, strengthen your political will, put the country above the party.
