Malaysian politics has become a ‘rotation game’ driven by coalition survival, says Rafizi Ramli, warning that reform is being sidelined.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian politics has degenerated into a “rotation game” driven by coalition arithmetic rather than policy delivery, Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli said, arguing that the system now prioritises political survival over long-standing public needs.
Rafizi said the current era of coalition governments since 2018 has shifted decision-making away from voter needs and towards maintaining fragile governing majorities.
“Unfortunately, Malaysia’s political arena has become a rotation field.
“Decisions are no longer based on policy and public needs, but on the number of seats needed to support individuals becoming prime minister,” he said at the “Hala Tuju Politik Rafizi dan Nik Nazmi” event.
He argued that this dynamic has created a system in which urgent structural reforms are repeatedly delayed due to political sensitivities within governing alliances.
“The reason given to ordinary people who want solutions to complex problems is that the government cannot move too fast because it needs to protect political feelings,” he said.
To illustrate his point, Rafizi compared governance delays to a medical system slowed by internal consultations.
“If you are 60 years old with multiple illnesses, the doctor says treatment must wait because he needs another term to consult other doctors to avoid hurting their feelings. The patient would die first,” he said.
He said Malaysian politics has evolved into a system designed to preserve the status quo, where parties publicly clash but cooperate behind closed doors.
“In meetings they are best friends, but outside they attack each other. This is a political strategy of kekasih gelap (secret lovers),” he said.
He added that all major political blocs have, at different points, cooperated with one another.
Rafizi argued that coalition politics often results in compromises that prioritise power arrangements over policy outcomes.
“We are given meals that are not appetising. We don’t eat because we like it, but because it is all that is available,” he said.
He warned that the current political system could also risk marginalising non-Malay representation in the long term, citing demographic shifts that could lead to reduced political influence despite a stable population share.
“If we are not careful… non-Malays may still make up 25% of the population, but their representation could fall to just 10%,” he said.
He added that Malaysia is approaching the end of a political cycle that began in the late 1990s, arguing that prevailing political narratives are now outdated.
He said Malaysia has already reached the end of that cycle, with 28 years having passed since its beginning.
Rafizi said the political system must move beyond identity-based competition and coalition survival strategies if it is to address long-term structural challenges.
“The thinking, approach and political narrative we have today no longer reflect the agility, courage and intelligence that society demands,” he said.