That the country is rudderless and has lost its direction is evidenced by the incidents that transpired in 2020, perpetrated by politicians to serve their lust for power and positions.
The Sheraton move, engineered by power-hungry politicians, saw an elected government replaced with one without an electoral mandate.
This coalition of disparate partners gives precedence to political expediency over all other matters. Governance is dictated according to political agenda, disguised as being in the interests of the people.
Political shenanigans, manoeuvering, conspiracy and partisan power plays to hold on to power at all costs have become the order of the day, to benefit individuals and sectarian interests with nary a thought for the well-being of the people. As a result, the people no longer trust the politicians
These politicians have compromised the integrity of the institutions of governance resulting in a trust deficit in these institutions that are supposed to protect the people, but instead have been misused to serve the ruling political interests. One such institution is Parliament.
Parliament is no longer the august house where affairs of the nation are deliberated for the benefit of the people by representatives of good character and intellectual acumen. Instead, it has been manipulated to serve partisan political agenda, which as a result has descended it into an arena of theatrics, hooliganisms and a brawling place of uncouth characters masquerading as people’s representatives.
Corruption is rife through the land, from the highest echelon right through to the lower levels of civil servants. The scale of corrupt practices is frightening as it has become endemic. It has also filtered through to the lower ranks, especially in the enforcement and licensing agencies.
Immigration officers have been apprehended for involvement in human trafficking; customs officers in aiding syndicates smuggle contraband; and lately officers from four government agencies are in cahoots with cartels importing non-halal meat to be passed off as halal products.
Another fiasco is the Sabah election. A power grab which backfired lead to the election which caused a massive Covid-19 spike in Sabah and brought to the peninsula by returning ministers and politicians who campaigned during the election.
The escalating infections strained health resources. It simply shows that the politicians do not care about the lives of the people in trying to achieve their objectives.
This is exemplified by the latest political manoeuvering in Perak that saw Umno Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad replacing Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu from Bersatu. The power struggle within the ruling coalition was misrepresented as being in the interest of the people when, in fact, it was a power grab.
Then there is the Goldman Sachs 1MDB scandal. The deposed Pakatan Harapan government claimed RM 7 billion as compensation from the company for underwriting the loan (being paid US$500 million as commission). But the current Perikatan Nasional government settled for RM2.9 billion and several assets to be retrieved.
There is no respite to political scheming as 2020 comes to a close, in fact, it has escalated.
The current Bersatu regime wants to remain in power at all costs, while its coalition partner, Umno, wants to return the mandate to the people to form an electorally mandated government.
Umno is confident that through its machinery, grassroots support and its time-tested modus operandi, it will once again return to helm the government.
PAS will support any faction if it is rewarded with ministerial positions and lucrative GLCs positions.
These three cohorts form the ruling coalition not because of principles but greed for power and material gains.
As a result of this political imbroglio, the country has lost its edge to attract foreign direct investments, which are seeking safe haven in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore.
It would seem that the ship Malaysia is floundering and rudderless, drifting aimlessly, unable to weather the political and economic storms and to navigate to an ethical and moral enclave.
There is a need for a capable captain to helm and steer the ship Malaysia to safe and calm waters.
But for now, the storm is brewing and will continue into 2021 until all hands are mustered on deck to stop the irresponsible from pillaging the Malaysian ship.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
