LETTER | Dear Government,

On May 9, 2018, I voted for change, and I voted for you because I want change. Change that was promised as part of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto. Next week will be 100 days in office for this government. Let’s talk a bit about my expectations and your performance.

Let’s start this by acknowledging that 100 days is not enough to fulfil any major promises. And let’s also recognise that this is your first time in government and you need (and will continue to need) time to find your footing.

Nonetheless, I have some points to raise.

First, education. This is a big one for us because it impacts on our children (not your guinea pigs) and the future of Malaysia. There were reservations about Dr Maszlee Malik being appointed education minister because of what was perceived to be his strong Islamic views.

However, that settled down when he referred to how the Finnish education system should be a role model and how there should be greater emphasis on technology and the English Language.

He then did an interesting thing – he offered a GoogleDocument feedback opportunity (which has apparently received 11,000 responses) so that people could share their views about how the education system should be improved. Was there a report on that? I didn’t see it.

Then, he made the most fundamental decision to date. He decided that next year, school children will wear black shoes. Critical. And I am not even going to mention the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) promise.

Am I impressed? No.

Will he need time to reform the education system? Yes. But don’t start with stuff that doesn’t matter, please. You have, within reach, the man who converted Maths and Science to English for Standard 1, Form 1 and Form 4 in less than 12 months. Ask him how it was done, learn from his mistakes, and do it better.

Second, transport. So within the first month of office, our Transport Minister highlighted several negatives about the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad), including suggestions of impropriety, although nothing further has come from these allegations save to rename and restructure Spad into the Land Public Transport Department (Apad).

Was I impressed? No.

Although he has implemented regulation of e-hailing services, which may be a plus in some quarters, it doesn’t matter to me either way.

Third, discrimination on grounds of gender and/or sexual orientation. Yes, I know – this is sensitive. Is there a very strong view that anything LBGTQI (let me say the words – lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, intersex) is bad, goes against religion etc? Yes. Does the LBGQTI community exist in Malaysia? Yes. Do they want to be different and discriminated against, abused and mocked? I think not.

So I watch in dismay when former Subang DAP Youth publicity secretary, Numan Afifi, who for all intents and purposes, contributed to the fact that this party is today in the government, does the decent thing and resigns from his post when the person whose press officer he was, our Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, does not stand up for him. And by the way, “You’ll always be a bro” does not count as standing up for someone.

I have a question – are you learning that you “will not” or “cannot” stand up for what is right? Yes I know, you are young and idealistic, and just learning the ropes. But please stand up for the right not to be discriminated against – the youth of our nation are depending on you to do this.

Fourth, let’s talk about little child brides for a minute, shall we? The kind that ends up being married off at the ripe old age of 11, to 41-year-old men. Is this sensitive too? Yes. Does that mean we should not talk about it? No. Because I believe all of us who voted for a new Malaysia did so partly in the expectation that we would be able to talk more about things that matter – openly, honestly and with the objective of learning and growing together.

Let’s talk about the fact that our deputy prime minister, and women, family and community development minister (same person because apparently, we don’t have other qualified women to give the post to) and lovely person that she is, is still investigating the matter and advises us not to rush to conclusions.

This is despite the fact that there are laws against grooming (Section 11, Sexual Offences Against Children Act) passed just last year, and that this 41-year old man has wanted to marry her since she was seven years old.

Okay, so it is a matter of evidence and they are collecting the evidence. There are so many of us waiting to see how well this government protects our children. Especially since this government – specifically, the same minister had expressed horror when it discovered that the BN government had hidden 20,000 sexual abuse cases involving children.

The minister said that “We have failed to protect children”. Yup.

Fifth, remember all the arbitrary legislation that you promised would be repealed? Let’s see:

1. National Security Council Act (NSC) 2016;
2. Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma);
3. Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca);
4. Sedition Act 1948;
5. Anti-Fake News Act 2018;
6. Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984
7. Universities and University Colleges Act 1971.

Did I miss anything?

Yes, I know, the first Parliament sitting only commenced on July 16. I also know it could not have been the first order of business, but it has been almost a month. So, how now?

Sixth, old aspirations in a new Malaysia. With due respect to our prime minister, I think the arguments on why we don’t need another national car project are excellent. I hope our prime minister has read them, but perhaps not. Sir, perhaps not a car. Let’s work on technology – mobile apps, technological platforms etc. Come and join us in the 21st century, please.

Seventh, the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Do not take your time about this one. The fulfilment of this promise is important not just to your voting base, but also because you have one chance to correct a wrong that has been perpetuated for decades. Have you even started on this yet?

Please do not think that just because we now have a larger base of ministers etc., from East Malaysia, that this gives you any reprieve. It is the people of Sabah and Sarawak that need a reprieve and recognition of equal partner status. No flip-flopping, please.

Eighth, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mujahid Yusof Rawa, had said before the general election that Islamic affairs should be managed by the Council of Rulers. And we were earlier appalled by the fact that the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) had a budget of RM810 million, although he has now denied that this is bloated.

Okay, they need the money to fund mosques, Islamic education etc, although one quivers at the amount. But was really got me was the latest “guideline” – a Syariah-compliant dress code for the private sector. To protect women – from what? And by the way, was any of the RM810 million used to prepare these “guidelines”? I really hope the answer is no.

Ninth, and this is important to me. The thing that offended me the most was your unwillingness to fulfil the promise of 30 percent women in your cabinet. And I will categorically state that it cannot be because there was a lack of talent. This is probably the best academically qualified cabinet in Malaysian history, and yet, you reneged on the one promise that is likely to have mattered to many women voters (50.58% of the electorate apparently).

Tenth – why ten? Because you promised ten things in 100 days. The prime minister tells us that two promises were fulfilled in 70 days (yay!) and six others are in implementation. That’s not ten.

When I voted for you, it was because of the promises in your election manifesto (and yes I know that these are not binding), and because I was sick of an arbitrary, abusive, excessive, wasteful, arrogant, unaccountable, non-transparent government that had no regards for the rakyat.

You promised me it would be different.

I know change takes time – you cannot undo 60 years 11 months and 11 days (since Merdeka on Aug 31, 1957) in 100 days. I also know that you have faced many obstacles both internally and from external sources. I understand that it may take you at least one year to find your footing.

I appreciate that you (we) are still bombarded by cybertroopers determined to undermine you – although you must admit that sometimes, they don’t have to work too hard because you provide them with excellent ammunition.

Have you done good? Yes. Enough? I am not sure.

All I am saying dear government (and there is really no need to call you “Pakatan Harapan government” since we only have you now) is that you need to buck up.

The stain on my finger from exercising my constitutional right to vote is still there and so is the hope in my heart that you will build (with us) the new Malaysia you promised.

Please don’t let this become George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” – “The creatures outside looked from pig to man and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which”. And for clarity – no, I am not calling anyone a pig.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.