Coalition Politics Has To Evolve - from A.Kadir Jasin Blog

A Kadir Jasin

WHEN the candidate for the Gerakan Youth Chief, Tan Keng Liang, said Umno should listen to the views of other Barisan Nasional component parties before deciding on issues that affect the entire nation, he was speaking for the whole nation.
He was even talking on behalf of Umno. That’s because many Umno members and leaders feel that the party’s Supreme Council has become too exclusive.
Lately, many of the party’s decisions that affect the entire nation are being decided mostly by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Mohd Najib Abdul Razak with the Umno Supreme Council acting as the rubber stamp.
In some instances, like the recent council meetings, discussions on Abdullah’s future were cut short by Mohd Najib.
Instead, the public was repeatedly told that decisions, including on the transition from Abdullah to Mohd Najib, had been reached between them.
The Star Online on Oct. 1 quoted Tan as saying that the change in the transition plan from June 2010 to an unspecified earlier date should have been discussed in the National Front Supreme Council meeting first.
Media reports suggested that Abdullah might decide on or before Oct. 9 whether or not to defend his position as party president ahead of the Umno divisional meetings when nomination for the March party election would be made.
“The appointment and change of the PM and DPM are not an Umno-only matter. The PM is the leader of all Malaysians and the chairman of Barisan,” Tan told reporters on Tuesday.
He said while Umno had played a strong leadership role in the coalition for many years, it was clear since the March 8 general election that many BN members are doubtful of the party’s commitment to equal relationships in the coalition.
Though he is only a Gerakan Youth Chief candidate, Tan’s views on the matter represent the sentiments of the new generation of non-Malays.
According to Malaysiakini, Abdullah said during the government's Aidilfitri open house in Kuala Lumpur on Oct I that he would only set a date for such a meeting after the hari raya celebrations.
The following are my own thoughts and observations on the future of the ethnic-based multi-party power-sharing formula:
1. In a multi-party power sharing formula, the failing strength of one member party is compensated by rising strength of the remaining component parties;
2. This does not seem to apply to the BN. The falling strength of Umno, its main partner, is not compensated by the rising strength of its partners. In fact, as the results of the March 8 Polls had shown, the rejection of Umno by the voters spread to all its Peninsular-based partners;
3. The weakness of the BN has led (or caused) the non-Malays to look elsewhere for protection. Instead of making demands on Umno, they now also making demands on the Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance). They are leveraging their political power and votes;
4. Despite the cry for democracy and freedom, the majority of the non-Malays – especially the business-oriented Chinese community – prefer a strong Malay-led government;
5. The younger generation of Malaysian are more independent-minded and may be willing to experiment with other party and coalition systems;
6. The weakness of Umno and the falling quality of its leadership in recent years is having widespread ramifications on the BN;
7. The era of a strong Malay-led multi-party coalition (like the BN) could have ended or may be coming to an end; and
8. To survive, the BN and all future multi-party coalitions, including the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat, may have to evolve to become more “Malaysian”.
PS: As for my hari raya, there’s nothing much to report. I am celebrating it in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor among family members and close friends. No visit to politicians so far, but politics is every conversation.
The father, son and the son-in-law led the agenda. Mohd Najib, the spouse, and the brothers and the Indian friend, the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial, the impending verdict of the Altantuya case and rising cost of living are next.
The driving in KL is a breeze. The air is cleaner. Nice if KL can stay this way. Traffic jams are transferred to other cities and towns.