Stop Blaming Covid For Our National Setbacks

---

The party which was formed to protect the interests of the largest racial group should take a long hard look at itself. Dispense with the aged warlords and leaders who had dragged the party into disrepute pre-2018, conduct a self-check on abuses of power, and empower the young.
Walter Sandosam, Free Malaysia Today
The deputy president of Umno has been quoted as saying that Malaysia’s progress has been set back by a decade, with the Malays most affected, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the virus is just the tip of the iceberg. It is inappropriate to blame the disease solely for the setback when that is the consequence of a “perfect storm” best described as a triple whammy from the policies of the pre-2018 government, the implosion of the short-lived 2018-20 government, climaxing with the perceived ineptness of the current coalition.
Three elements stand out: abuse of power, political charades, and the coronavirus.
One has to reflect on the past half-decade to be able to fully appreciate that the backsliding started way before Covid-19 and the pandemic exacerbated it.
The year 2018 was ushered in as an election year, while 1MDB was the talk of the town: the opposition banded together to put up a cohesive front to wrangle the reins of power from the party which had been ruling since independence.
A major feat indeed to bring power ‘back to the people’. This proved fatalistic to economic progress.
It marked a rollercoaster ride with the government in power faltering and losing its grip – ironically, of its own doing rather than the rise of a credible opposition.
Since 2018, in a span of three years, three prime ministers have taken office.
Investor confidence was affected by the constant threat to call for a confidence vote against the hastily constituted coalition government.
The pre-2018 government has been shown to have tolerated indulgences in abuse of power and interference in the institutional infrastructure. Corruption gave rise to an elite segment that felt that the country was theirs to exploit.
Much is on record about gross mismanagement of certain government-linked companies by inept managers, some of whom considered it as a just reward for services rendered, political or otherwise. It led to leakages and wastage of government revenue.
The privileged few were able to secure lucrative appointments with lavish emoluments in blue-chip establishments; others obtained lucrative contracts, hence denying the “‘unconnected”, and leading to their disenfranchisement.
Even with a change in government in 2018, this malaise and rot had not been holistically addressed
This has perpetuated the economic imbalance distressing the “unconnected” who have had to eke out a meagre income just to survive. The institutions specifically set up to help them have fallen short of expectations.
Ironically, the Malays are the most affected, notwithstanding decades of initiatives to rebalance social inequality.
Based on the recent state elections in Melaka and Johore, the writing is on the wall as to who will hold the majority to form the federal government post GE15.
The beating of the war drums at a recent general assembly of a dominant political party speaks for itself. Covid was side-lined.
The much-united opposition coalition of 2018 lies in tatters and is a poor reflection of itself. It is best to strike now!
The causative factor must surely be the aged politicians, past their prime, with egos and personal vendettas to settle, who have defanged the opposition.
At one point, the opposition had an attractive reform package to offer but the follow-through was wanting.
The party which was formed to protect the interests of the largest racial group should take a long hard look at itself. Dispense with the aged warlords and leaders who had dragged the party into disrepute pre-2018, conduct a self-check on abuses of power, and empower the young.
Brand management is very important. Many renowned brands have learnt to their detriment and consequent downfall that “after-sales service” is crucial.
It is not to be taken lightly if the brand is to survive.
Most of all get the agenda straight and don’t look for bogeymen. The nation and all its constituents can benefit without more insincere rhetoric.
 
Walter Sandosam was a senior research fellow at a leading private university and also served on two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission independent oversight committees.

---