Alongside the ever-increasing threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, our country is beset with political imbroglio, the result of sectarian power struggle that ignores the plight and wellbeing of the people.
Their shenanigans and dissensions caused by the constantly shifting allegiance and affiliations to secure power could lead the country to ruins.
Yet, they have the gall to justify their audacious actions as being solely for the benefit of the people.
As it is, we have a government without electoral sanction, composed of strange bedfellows, each jostling for power.
This unholy alliance of politicians has caused systemic aberrations in the country’s political governance.
Into this insidious equation comes another faction claiming the support of most Members of Parliament to take over the government.
This contradiction of political rigmarole is the result of shifting allegiance and associations that posits instability of governance.
It is unfortunate that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is drawn into this cauldron of political quagmire. We should not allow the institution of kingship be tarnished by the shenanigans of unscrupulous politicians.
The constitutional monarch is above the riff raff of partisan politics and it is best left to the parliamentary caucus of the peoples’ representatives to determine the validity of the governing authority.
The designation of the people’s representatives is a misnomer evidenced by the unscrupulous politicians who prioritise their own agenda over that of the people.
The surging Covid-19 numbers in Sabah and peninsular Malaysia, is a result of a sanctioned political coup that led to the inevitability of the Sabah state elections.
The powers that be engineered this coup to serve their agenda without any regard of its consequences.
All the SOPs and quarantine procedures were ignored during the campaign period. As a result, politicians and government ministers carried the virus from Sabah to peninsular Malaysia. They are supposed to work for the welfare of the people. Instead, they cause misery in pursuit of their political agenda.
These politicians conduct their political affairs oblivious of the catastrophe facing the nation. Their meetings and haggling take centre stage, while the people are reeling from the economic and health disasters that are brought about by the irresponsible actions of the politicians.
It is unfortunate that these politicians are always on the lookout for the best bargains, willing to lend support to any faction that would offer them a good deal.
Just look at the chairman and board members of GLCs and other statutory bodies that were purveyed to politicians to gain their support. Worse still are the appointment of special envoys with ministerial status who have done nothing of significance but are enjoying fat salaries and perks at the people’s expense.
People blame the flaws in the democratic system as contributing to this debacle. On the contrary, the system is viable if it is managed by those having integrity and ethical and moral scruples.
When we have people without this ethical and moral conscience in position of authority, they would violate the integrity of any system of governance.
To alleviate this unhealthy and unethical situation, there have to be emplaced checks and balances and oversight procedures to ensure political stability so that the politicians must perforce focus on serving the people instead of finding loopholes and unauthorised channels to serve themselves.
First, an anti-hopping law must be legislated to prevent the shifting of allegiance and alliance according to what the traffic will bear. Those standing for elections must be altruistic, and morally and ethically upright.
Above all, the rule of law must prevail and apply equitably to all and sundry irrespective of status or lineage. And most important there is a need to bring about an informed and matured electorate to ensure a governance of the people, by the people and for the people.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.