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By Mihar Dias Copyright (C) October 2023
Reading Ahmad Mustakim's piece on "The trouble with making good on institutional reforms" in MalaysiaNow makes me more sceptical than ever about Anwar-led Madani government's ability to deliver reform for the country as promised by the coalition government.
Well, in fact, it seems that Anwar Ibrahim's "Madani government" is living up to its reputation of "reformati" rather than “reformasi.”
Promises of institutional reforms appear to be mere lip service, with little progress to show for it.
Some have gone to the extreme of labelling Anwar's Reformasi as reform basi or stale promises.
Political instability and bureaucratic obstacles seem to be the order of the day, hindering any meaningful change. Even the unholy alliance of political parties couldn't bridge their differences for the sake of reform.
And let's not forget the broken promises, like the failure to abolish draconian laws or address media freedom issues. It's as if the government is more interested in retaining power than in delivering on its pledges. The Deputy Prime Minister's questionable discharge (DNAA) only adds fuel to the fire that is really upsetting almost everyone in the country.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia's list of proposed reforms from 2018 seems to have gathered dust, and affordable housing, government-linked companies, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) remain untouched.
Meanwhile, talk of reviving the goods and services tax (GST) without introducing a wealth tax doesn't exactly scream "progressive."
Perhaps it's time for Malaysia to look beyond politicians and focus on grassroots intellectuals to address pressing issues like labour reform and human trafficking.
As for Anwar's Madani government, we would agree with the idea that it might need a stern deadline for its promises, or else a vote of no confidence in Parliament could be in order.
I can't help being cynical and sceptical about our Madani government and Anwar's leadership for the simple reason that it is indeed very hard to trust the promise of reform when it feels more like a daily political slogan than a reality.
We can no longer live under an illusion of reforms by an illusionist like PPMX. It's time to deliver your promises. The rakyat is waiting.
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