Abdullah’s inaction pushes Malaysia back to Mahathirism

NOV 3 — Putting aside for the moment the question of whether the return of Mahathirism is a good or bad thing for Malaysia, let us agree that one man’s failure has provided the ripe conditions for its return.

If today Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s influence in government and among Umno members is growing, and his ideas on tackling the economic slowdown to fighting malaise in the Barisan Nasional are gaining traction in the community, it is because Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not provide the strong, decisive leadership which Malaysians want and crave for.

Abdullah and his supporters may complain that the advent of Mahathirism is a return to the days of power being centralised in the hands of the few; with institutions being trampled upon and the rule of law being subjugated but there is little evidence that the Abdullah years were watershed years in governance and transparency.

On Thursday, it was exactly five years that the baton of leadership changed hands between Dr Mahathir and Abdullah. Those were days of promises; pronouncements; new beginnings. Nothing exemplified this more than the motion of thanks to Dr Mahathir which Abdullah proposed in Parliament on Nov 3, 2003.

Scroll through the motion of thanks today and two things become apparent: why Malaysians were so taken up with what Abdullah had to offer and his inability to add flesh to the grand sounding rhetoric of that day.

Here are a few examples:

? “We must seek and identify new sources of economic growth. We must develop new approaches to enhance our competitiveness and strengthen our resilience to face global challenges. The distribution of economic opportunities must be equitable to benefit the broadest range of people.”

Fact: Five years on, the government is still talking about finding new sources of growth. The reality is that Malaysia is still far too dependent on oil and commodities for its revenue. Our manufacturing sector is built on a brittle foundation — the uninterrupted flow of cheap foreign labour.

And yes, we are still a long way off from becoming a modern agriculture powerhouse.

? “We must respect the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. This is important to maintain the checks and balances needed to prevent abuses of power.”

Fact: What separation of powers? The concept of separation of power truly works only when judicial review of administrative processes is allowed.

Abdullah’s promise of ushering a judicial renaissance is pretty much work in progress.

? “It is incumbent upon us as elected representatives to display exemplary political leadership, which can only be effective if we are respected. We must cultivate an image that is clean, incorruptible, modest and beyond suspicion.”

Fact: March 8. On that day, many Malaysians gave their verdict on Barisan Nasional candidates, whom they viewed as arrogant, power crazy, avaricious and corrupt.

Despite all the talk, the consensus was that many elected representatives ran roughshod over Abdullah during his first term as the prime minister, predicting correctly that unlike Dr Mahathir, he would not use the powers of incumbency to bring them into line.

When lined up side by side, the Mahathir years seems like a time of progress; of a country taking shape; of economic growth; of a vision; of punching above the weight in international relations.

In contrast, the Abdullah years seems like a time of intangibles; more democratic space; more willingness to tolerate differing opinions and more respect for Parliament.

But precious little for the little man to appreciate and cling on to as evidence of a better standard of living.

Given this backdrop, it is not difficult to understand why many Umno members and a good number of Malaysians are not as troubled about the return of Mahathirism as members of the chattering class and Abdullah’s supporters.

They yearn for a strong hand, especially in these uncertain economic times. They want to know where Malaysia is headed.

Abdullah’s motion of thanks on Nov 3, 2003 also gives a clutch of hints on why not everyone is in mourning over Dr Mahathir’s return to the main theatre of politics in Malaysia.

This is what Abdullah said five years ago: “The development of our infrastructure and human resources grew at its fastest pace during his premiership. More importantly, he placed our country on the world map and has made Malaysia an example of political stability, economic prosperity, racial unity and religious tolerance. We are now widely acknowledged as a progressive Islamic country.

“The Member of Parliament for Kubang Pasu has imbued us with self-confidence, dignity and national pride. He is a hero to his nation and to his people — a hero who elevated his country in the eyes of the world.”