It is quite clear and disappointing that this “unity government” actually can be quite disunited – at least in terms of coming up with consistent statements, strategies and policies.
This has created some confusion and much despair among those of us in Malaysia who wish to see the nation move ahead, even if this is not quite the Pakatan Harapan government that promised reforms.
But PH still provides the base of this government and really must demonstrate this, instead of seemingly playing second fiddle to, especially, Zahid Hamidi’s faction in Umno.
Granted, some reforms are now taking place. But in other areas like higher education and freedom of expression, it is apparent that bad old habits and conservative policies and strategies are being rehashed.
In higher education, they are being rehashed by a revived Umno minister who did not make much difference as education minister the first time around and seems unlikely to make any positive difference now. This is evident in his statements on the Universities and University Colleges Act (Auku).
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It is public knowledge that while he was education minister, PH’s Dr Maszlee Malik started – and almost completed – the repeal of Auku. Consultants were recruited, extensive research was carried out, multiple stakeholders consulted, and town halls held during his tenure – all in the spirit of dismantling Auku and its controversial legacy and replacing it with a new act, aimed at helping to liberate students especially, but academia overall.
But now it looks like all that expensive hard work has been shelved by Umno minister Khalid Nordin. As if reinventing the wheel according to an old, problematic Umno mould, Khalid now talks about maintaining Auku and making slight changes to it – with no reference at all to the extensive reports drawn up under Maszlee.
Khalid held one town hall recently, openly inviting ‘friendly’ groups and individuals, and ignoring others, especially critics, who had to gatecrash the meeting. The usual suspects were dragged out to ‘objectively’ defend Auku.
Indeed, these ‘town hall’ sessions are more like show trials than genuine attempts to gather and gauge opinions and information from a variety of stakeholders.
This charade is something we have grown used to over decades with Umno and its ministers. But it is disappointing when a PH minister, the ‘new’ Communications and Digital Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, seems to be reading from the same script.
His recent distancing from, if not open condemnation of, the online film Mentega Terbang, smacks of someone who is fearful of any backlash, however irrational, from the conservatives.
In pushing the blame on to the previous regime for not axing the film, he virtually dismissed the points the filmmakers had raised. This was hurtful to the film’s creators and sad, coming from someone who had been involved directly in the arts and who surely is aware of freedom of expression issues.
Indeed, he did something similar more recently whan he criticised Berita Harian’s analytical report on the overnight policy rate (OPR).
Criticising the media, any media, without doing one’s homework is not the sign of a progressive reformer. Resorting to censorship, in the case of Mentega Terbang, when a dialogue would have been more educational and enlightening, is not the way of a forward-looking ‘leadership’.
Crude censorship strategies are the ways of the ignorant and those who do not wish to explore ideas and the human mind. They are the ways of the Taliban, the fascists.
Rom Nain
Co-editor, Aliran newsletter
10 April 2023
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
