MALAYSIA: Manifesto Formalises Opposition Challenge to Mahathir

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Anil Netto

PENANG, Malaysia, Oct 27 1999 (IPS) - Two different events, held in contrasting fashion on the same day in the capital Kuala Lumpur, are setting the tone for the coming general election, which is expected within months.

The first event at a hotel on Oct 24 marked the launch of a common manifesto for Malaysia’s four main opposition parties, effectively sealing the formation of a new opposition front, the Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front) to challenge the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The second event, held at the glittering new ‘Bukit Jalil’ National Stadium that night, marked the 25th anniversary of the formation of the ruling coalition.

In 1974, Malaysia’s ruling coalition, the Alliance – comprising the United Malays National Organisation, the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress – was expanded to include key opposition parties and took on the name Barisan Nasional. The Alliance had governed the country since 1955 and the Barisan Nasional ever since 1974.

The massive 100,000 turnout for the ‘Bukit Jalil’ event, who were also drawn to performances by popular Malaysian singers at the stadium, was touted as the largest gathering in Malaysian history. The event was also broadcast live on television and radio, ensuring maximum campaign publicity for Mahathir.

But in terms of impact, it was the small gathering at the hotel where the opposition manifesto was launched that sent tremors in the political establishment.

“This is a moment of history,” said parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, the head of the Democratic Action Party, of the manifesto. For the first time in the 42-year political history of the nation, the four major opposition parties in the country have come together on a common platform, he observed.

The other parties are the National Justice Party (keADILan), the Islamic Party (PAS), and the Malaysian People’s Party (PRM).

“This manifesto outlines our vision, objectives and policies for the coming five years and longer,” said PRM president Syed Husin Ali. It also shows that the development of politics in this country now does not centre only on ousted deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, he added. “It has gone beyond Anwar to encompass major issues facing the country.”

Ironically, the reporters’ questions at the launch centred on what was not in the manifesto: PAS’ goal of setting up an Islamic state. Their questioning is a harbinger of what the Barisan Nasional’s central strategy in the coming election is going to be: its attacks against the opposition front are likely to focus on the Islamic state issue.

Said Mahathir, in power for 18 years, at Bukit Jalil: “Trust is an element lacking within the Barisan Alternatif because parties like PAS and DAP are telling their supporters contradictory stories from what was discussed in their camps.”

“In fact, PAS tells members in Kelantan that it will form an Islamic government once it wins the election despite the different grounds the opposition parties stand on,” he added.

The Islamic state is actually a non-issue given the political and demographic realities in Malaysia that make it highly unlikely for such a state to be realised here. Only about 55 per cent of Malaysians are Muslims and even then, a large chunk of them are unlikely to favour an Islamic state given previous voting patterns.

In any case, PAS will definitely not win enough assembly seats to create an Islamic state. A bill to amend the Constitution to realise such a state would require a two thirds parliamentary majority.

Although the opposition front has not yet announced how many parliamentary seats each of its member parties will contest, it has indicated that the contests will be ‘one-to-one’: only one main opposition party will challenge the Barisan Nasional in each constituency. That means that PAS is unlikely to be allotted more than a third of the 193 seats up for grabs.

The focus on the Islamic state issue has meant that the manifesto’s positive features were largely ignored or played down by the media. If the opposition front came to power, the manifesto vowed to repeal the Internal Security Act. It also promised to set up a royal commission to review the judicial system and other oppressive laws that contain provisions violating basic human rights.

The manifesto also wants to limit the term of office of the prime minister and state chief ministers to two terms. KeADILan deputy president Chandra Muzaffar said that the 11 basic rights of the Constitution would be upheld including the freedom of worship. The opposition front would only get rid of unjustified amendments to the Constitution.

“The Manifesto you see today is the product of joint effort and thinking by many from the alternative parties,” said Syed Husin in his statement, adding the process to prepare the initial draft of the Manifesto began as early as February 1999, at Anwar’s request.

The manifesto also stresses a fair distribution of wealth. “In other words, it is more important to build houses, hospitals and schools and universities than to waste on unproductive mega projects; it is more in place to help rubber and oil palm small holders as well as workers rather than bailing out corporate cronies and their big corporations,” said Syed Husin.

“In the same manner, it is more important to concentrate on reducing prices of low and medium cost houses, hospital charges and university fees, rather than enriching relatives and friends of the BN leaders through big contracts and allocation of shares.”

To promote transparency and accountability, the manifesto wants Parliament to be made responsible for naming the Attorney General, the Chief Justice and Judges, the Inspector General of Police and the Governor of the central bank.

The blueprint also contains a range of social reforms to aid the low-income Malaysians including providing access to housing, affordable healthcare, and education. “There must be more concern for the weak and less developed groups, without regard to ethnicity,” said Syed Husin.

Other provisions include pledges to restore the rights promised to the states of Sabah and Sarawak when they joined the federation in 1963 and to pursue a foreign policy that is independent, progressive and neutral.

That the manifesto was actually conceived despite the conflicting ideologies of the parties involved is little short of miraculous. But opposition leaders acknowledge that the ruling coalition remains strong because it controls large financial resources, the machinery of government and the media.

But there is a new wave of optimism, especially after the victory of the reformists in neighbouring Indonesia after years of autocratic rule. “As we all know, there is nothing impossible in politics,” said Syed Husin.

Alrey, the opposition parties have agreed on Anwar as their choice for prime minister should the front win. “We caught the BN leaders by surprise and some of them appeared to be in a state of shock,” said Syed Husin of the decision. “There will be more surprises. Just wait.”