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©The Sun
(Used by permission)
by Sivarasa Rasiah
 I was born nine months before independence was gained from the
British in 1957, and really have no memory of those heady times.
I was fortunate, however, that while studying law at Oxford University in the
early 1980s, courtesy of the Rhodes Trust, I rediscovered Malaysian history and
found versions quite different from what I was fed in school.
What struck me was the deeply-rooted aspirations among Malayans (then) of
different races for respect for their fundamental civil and political rights,
for education, job opportunities, decent healthcare and a fair share of the
nation’s equity.
Fifty years since independence, it appears to me that much is seriously amiss
and our nation-building in danger of going awry.
Race-based political parties continue to accommodate among themselves at the
leadership level but stoke tensions at the community level. There seems to be a
recurring but unseen project of “managed tension” in the country.
Yet, despite the obstacles presented by these race-based parties, individual
Malaysians must be given due credit for having persevered with nation-building.
The wonderful social interaction that exists beside the tensions is testimony to
the universal values which we all share, regardless of the compartmentalisations
of race and religion.
But trouble is brewing. The nation’s abundant treasures are being distributed
with an unjust tilt towards the wealthy, who wear all racial hats. Today, many
struggle unnecessarily to make ends meet.
Malaysia today holds the dubious honour of having the highest Gini co-efficient
(a ratio that measures the distribution of wealth where the higher the figure
is, the worse the wealth distribution) in Asia. As they say, “Malaysia boleh!”
Our key institutions – the judiciary, the attorney-general’s office, the
Anti-Corruption Agency, and the police are dysfunctional and unable to cope with
the demands of a modern Malaysia.
The civil service struggles with basic governance, which we took for granted 30
to 40 years ago. Our educational institutions, critical to our future
competitiveness, are heavily politicised and controlled, instead of being
vibrant independent institutions holding their own in the world.
The cancer of corruption, which is evident at the highest ranks of government,
continues to spread into our daily lives while the culture of impunity has
worsened over the years.
This disastrous combination has resulted in ineffective institutions. There are
high crime levels and a deep insecurity among the poor and the rich. Social
dislocation, lack of job opportunities and appropriate skills afflict some
segments of our youth.
To my mind, these realities are the legacy of decades of authoritarian rule
combined with a racialised governance that foster racial interests instead of an
ethos of shared nation-building. Authoritarian and opaque governance has
fostered corruption; it has also facilitated illegal appropriation of the
nation’s wealth by a few.
Authoritarian rule and a system of elections that are neither free nor fair by
international standards have also successively ensured the ruling government
large majorities in Parliament.
With such majorities, the ruling regime has no real sense of accountability to
us. Why should it when there is no sizeable opposition as a
government-in-waiting to take its place?
I write this not just as a litany of complaints but with the hope that change is
possible.
I know that this country is bequeathed with the richest treasury of languages,
religions and culture that others can only dream of. I know that we are blessed
per capita with more natural resources than many others in the world.
We are people with talent and skills. However, because of the realities I
described above, I feel that our nation is on a slippery slope to further
stagnation and mediocrity instead of rising as a leading star of Asia punching
above its weight.
What scenarios are we looking at in 50 years’ time? Half a century down the
line, our population will demographically be much older and a smaller working
population will shoulder the economic burden of providing essential healthcare
and meeting society’s housing and education demands.
What worries me is the fact that oil and gas related royalties and taxes
comprise about 40% of our operating income. That oil runs out in 15 years; our
gas reserves will probably be empty in about 32 years.
Hundreds of billions of ringgit of that wealth has been squandered in the last
25 years instead of being invested in people to prepare us for the more
difficult times ahead.
It is extremely difficult to predict the state of the world in 50 years’ time.
However, it will be an ever more competitive world as the developing nations
hurry to outdo each other and catch up with the developed world. Resources will
be even scarcer.
Survival will depend on skills and knowledge, and an efficient, self-sufficient
and sustainable economy. Success will go to those who distribute their resources
equitably and efficiently, and to those who know that this requires transparent,
democratic and participatory governance.
What are we doing to prepare ourselves for the years ahead?
My question is really rhetorical – I say that the current regime is not
preparing us – in fact, it cannot prepare us for that day.
My wish list for this country 50 years from now is not achievable under current
conditions.
What conditions then are required so that we might start preparing for the
difficult days ahead?
Asian countries are democratising and moving on. Taiwan, South Korea and Japan
have become participatory democracies. They ensure that they have serious
opposition ranks in their parliaments that function as governments-in-waiting.
They are comfortable with the idea that parties can rule today and be in
opposition tomorrow.
They ensure that their limited resources are properly employed. Abuses of power
and corruption are exposed, punished and kept to acceptable levels.
Indonesia is now fully democratised and about to embark on a decade of growth
and consolidation. If we are not careful, countries like Thailand and Indonesia
will catch up and outstrip us with their innovation, people’s skills and
knowledge and hard work.
Getting Malaysia to the same point is fundamental to our preparation for the
future. Our very survival as a nation may well depend on whether we can
transform our current 10% opposition in Parliament now to a substantial
opposition of between 40% and 45 % i.e. to a real government-in-waiting.
There is a real chance now of doing that with the emergence of Parti Keadilan
Rakyat’s multi-racial politics – with its stress on democracy and social justice
and focus on need and merit, not race.
The question is, will Malaysians today take this chance to ensure our children
have something to look forward to 50 years from now.
Sivarasa Rasiah is a human rights lawyer and Parti Keadilan Rakyat
vice-president.
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