Tag Archives: silence

PM’s silence doesn’t reflect democracy

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When a prime minister says nothing about issues of concern to the public, the people get worried and, rightly, so.

Since November 2022, when he was appointed as PM, Anwar Ibrahim has maintained a non-committal silence on all the national issues, especially those involving race, religion and royalty (3R), that raised a hue and cry from the people.

Whether it was the KK Mart socks followed by the heel issue, attacks on footballers, the e-hailing driver’s case, the Asia Mobiliti case, the Blackrock case or most recently the Tengku Mahkota Johor’s recent outburst about treating Johor as a partner and not a state, Anwar made no comments.

In the absence of any comment from the PM to assure the people that the issues are being resolved in the proper constitutional ways, the public would naturally become more anxious, and resort to rumour-mongering, speculating and creating false narratives based on limited facts. Or, they turn off from politics and express their protests in the next election if they have a choice of a suitable candidate.

So, is it surprising that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is working overtime to remove “fake” news? Or, why Malaysia has dropped by 34 places in this year’s Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index?

It simply goes without saying that the less correct information is released to the public, the more fake news we will get. The solution is not more media control but greater dissemination of government information.

For the first time, however, today, Anwar commented on the MAHB-Blackrock issue, saying that Malaysia’s economy would be impacted if he cancelled all ties with Israel-owned companies.

Blackrock is a US-based investment company which has ties with companies funding Israel’s war on Gaza and is said to have bought over Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), one of the companies in the consortium planning to buy into Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhd (MAHB).

While it is commendable that Anwar broke his silence, he did not clarify if there was a change in policy in allowing a GLC to be owned by non-government interests. Neither did he explain why he had severely criticised companies supporting Israel’s war on Gaza and yet he kept mum when a GLC was willing to sell its shares to one such company.

That is the crux of the issue. He said one thing and did another. If private equity takes control of a GLC which owns national assets, the government loses control of sovereignty of its national assets. This is of paramount national importance.

Perikatan Nasional MP Wan Fahysal Wan Kamal has submitted a motion to discuss this issue at the Dewan Rakyat. Hopefully the Speaker will allow the motion as it is of great public importance and MPs must be given the chance to debate the issue to show if the PM is acting on behalf of the interests of the people.

Ultimately, a PM’s silence on national issues is a clear indication that he is not accountable to the people. If he is accountable to the people, he will understand the need to inform the people of his plans and the changes he wants to make and he would be sensitive to the feedback.

If he does not address these concerns of the people, he will know that he risks losing the confidence of Parliament and even his seat as an MP in his own constituency.

No credible prime minister elected to that position any where in the world has done what Anwar has done: kept his silence. All engage the people because they understand that dissemination of information and receiving feedback is fundamental to a thriving democracy.

Anwar was appointed — not elected — as PM and, therefore, he may feel that he is accountable not to the people but to those who appointed him. In which case, he may not feel the need to speak on issues that may have a bearing on those who appointed him, fully aware that with their backing he does not need the support of the majority to remain as PM.

Whatever his reasons, his silence is a clear indication that he is not accountable to the people. If he is not accountable to the people then he is not a representative democratic leader in a functioning democracy.

PN’s deafening silence

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Last Friday, retiring Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador exposed his boss, Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, as a meddling leader who allegedly attempted to interfere with the management of the police force and to use it for political advantage.

It raised a hue and cry but Hamzah did not respond to the criticisms and brick bats hurled at him. Nor did his boss, Muhyiddin Yassin, who sits in the prime minister’s seat and who, ultimately, is responsible for the performance of his bloated 70-member Cabinet. Why this silence?

Why maintain this heavily guilt-ridden silence for failing to be accountable to the people? Is this supposed to be the style of the PN leadership? Or, simply the indefensible defensive action of weak and insecure people who have been found out but refuse to accept responsibility for their action or inaction?

Hamid’s expose of Hamzah is a serious allegation and should be addressed by Muhyiddin yet nothing is being done to deal with Hamzah. Not only should Hamzah be disciplined but the PN coalition should resign on account of it because it amounts to failure to lead.

Muhyiddin’s so called “leadership” has led to a minister being accused by no less than the top cop himself and it must be acted upon not glossed over with silence. His leadership has led to one rule for ministers and another for the rest, a minister caught sleeping on the job, others who are invisible and, most importantly, the questionable management of the covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia with daily cases rising over 3,000, bringing the cumulative total to 427,927. The daily single-digit death tally went up to 23 on May 6.

Yet, no response from PN head, Muhyiddin. He is not alone in his seeming paralysis. India’s sick are dying without hospital beds and access to oxygen. The death toll there has averaged over 3,600 per day in the last seven days. In the face of such unbearable tragedy Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained an inelegant silence.

Citizens are dying but poor and weak leaders keep silent. Good leaders will face the people, accept criticisms and suggestions and improve. If their leadership does not benefit the people, they resign. DAP supremo, Lim Kit Siang, in exasperation, ended his article on the dangerous state of our pandemic (Makaysiakini, May 6) by pointedly saying “Malaysia is suffering at having the worst prime minister and the worst government in its 63-year history!”

Yet, not a word from Muhyiddin. He can’t or won’t handle Hamzah; he can’t or won’t reconvene Parliament. If he does, there’s still hope that a bipartisan effort will help arrest the rapid spread of the pandemic and decline of the economy. He can’t operate without the people’s money and resorts to selling assets; he won’t face the people with the truth. But, he wants to remain in power and refuses the help Parliament can offer. Thick-skinned and conscienceless.

Sworn in by the Agong, he needs to ask himself if he and his Cabinet are making the Agong look good? If the Cabinet has failed the trust of the Agong, it must resign. Whether there is an alternative coalition to take over the government or not is not Muhyiddin’s concern. He must step down and let those who can, take over the government because any government (without PAS and Umno) will be better than this!

The country isn’t looking good and Muhyiddin’s silence, like Modi’s, speaks eloquently of a dismally failing government. It’s an inelegant but deafening silence of its abilities or lack of them.

Better to step down than run the country into the ground!