Slow Pace of Reforms: A Possible Reason for Unity Government’s ‘D’ Grade
PETALING JAYA: Two former Umno leaders suggested that the unity government’s slow pace of reforms, which contributed to the "D" grade it received from Bersih, is likely due to the "trauma" Pakatan Harapan experienced during its first stint in government.
Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan’s Perspective
Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin agreed with co-host Shahril Hamdan on their latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast that one of the reasons for the fall of the PH government after 22 months in Putrajaya was that it rushed through with reforms. "Perhaps this is an ‘overboard’ response to that trauma. Have you thought of that as a reason?" Shahril, a former Umno information chief, said.
PH’s First Stint: A Lesson Learned
Khairy said this is possible, adding that there were "deep state elements" that rejected PH’s reforms which eventually led to the Sheraton Move in February 2022. The former health minister said there were several reforms pushed by PH in 2019 which were "wrong in terms of its sequencing, based on priority".
"PH should have pushed for reforms that cannot be manipulated based on sensitivities surrounding race, religion and royalty (3R)," he said, citing ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the Rome Statute as examples. He said such reforms became ammunition for the government’s critics and gave the impression that the government then was anti-Malay and anti-monarchy.
Safe Reforms and Priorities
On the flip side, he said, the reforms yet to be implemented as pointed out by Bersih in its grading of the government, such as on constituency development funding, limiting the prime minister’s term, and equal allocations for opposition MPs, are "quite safe". Shahril added: "This is as compared to PH’s ‘mistakes’ in their first stint, that have no impact on the government’s power or domestic political power."
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Revelations
Khairy said the "damage was already done" after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed in the Dewan Rakyat last week that several firms had borne 70% to 80% of his working trips to five countries. He claimed that Anwar had a "pathological need to impress" and had not explained the details in the Dewan Rakyat.
"The point he wanted to convey was that the government was being cost-effective, but (what he said instead) created many problems and questions," he said. He said the matter was left to government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil to clarify the following day, but "by then the damage was done" even though there was a logical explanation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the slow pace of reforms and the trauma experienced by Pakatan Harapan during its first stint in government may have contributed to the unity government’s "D" grade from Bersih. The former Umno leaders’ perspectives offer insights into the possible reasons behind the government’s slow progress in carrying out reforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did the unity government receive a "D" grade from Bersih?
A: The government received the grade due to its limited progress in carrying out reforms and the gap between its rhetoric and action.
Q: What are the reforms yet to be implemented that are considered "quite safe"?
A: The reforms include constituency development funding, limiting the prime minister’s term, and equal allocations for opposition MPs.
Q: Why did Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s revelation about his working trips to five countries cause damage to the government’s image?
A: Anwar’s revelation created problems and questions, and the lack of explanation in the Dewan Rakyat led to the damage being done, even though there was a logical explanation.