DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo urges the government to accelerate institutional and economic reforms, warning that only 18 months remain in the current parliamentary term to deliver tangible results for Malaysians
PUTRAJAYA: DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo has urged the government to accelerate long-promised institutional and economic reforms, warning that only 18 months remain in the current parliamentary term.
Gobind said DAP had championed many of the reforms now being discussed while it was in opposition and must ensure they were implemented after becoming part of the Federal Government.
Among the issues he highlighted were the separation of the roles of the Attorney General and public prosecutor, limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms, and amendments to laws including the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) and the Peaceful Assembly Act.
“People outside are asking me, after three and a half years, why have these things not been implemented yet?
“This is something we need to think about,” he said in his speech at DAP’s 18th National Congress here today.
Gobind said the reforms were necessary to prevent a repeat of past problems where excessive concentration of power made it difficult to address major scandals and governance issues.
He said DAP leaders had also called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to give greater attention to economic reforms that could directly benefit the people.
Gobind suggested that the government hold special parliamentary sittings to demonstrate its commitment to institutional reform, similar to last week’s special sitting to discuss the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on Tabung Haji.
“There is a possibility of having special sittings to pass amendments to the laws that I mentioned.
“This can show that the government is serious when we talk about reform,” he said.
He also called for greater focus on economic issues, including challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises, education and employment opportunities for young people, as well as the impact of e-invoicing.
Gobind said the remaining 18 months of the parliamentary term should be used to deliver tangible results for Malaysians.
He acknowledged that the party faced a difficult decision over its future direction, but said DAP also had a responsibility to strengthen itself as a political party while determining how best to advance the country’s interests.
Gobind said DAP’s six decades in opposition should serve as a reminder of the party’s original reform agenda, as it now operates from within government.
“After 60 years of struggling in opposition, we are now part of the government. The question is, do we want to move forward so that we can implement the reforms we have talked about?” he said.
He said the party’s ultimate responsibility was to ensure Malaysia moved towards becoming a developed country with a stable economy and better prospects for its people.
“Make a decision. The best decision for our country, so that we can all see our country move forward, with a stable economy and good progress for everyone,” he said.
