Streamyx

Changes to the communal based politics in Malaysia are unlikely to transpire anytime soon, at least not within the next decade. A period of weaning is needed for the ruling UMNO Malay elite who are so used to handouts and cronyism as well as their potential for inciting racial riots. It will be very hard to remove privileges entrenched for the Malays in the fields of business, civil services and institution of higher learning. Just like opium, it will take tremendous willpower to remove the addiction without the backlash that comes with undermining UMNO's support base.

New leaders that do not think along racial lines have to emerge from the midst. For this to ever happen, various racial parties that currently formed parts of the ruling coalition have to be transformed. The modus operandi is archaic and only good for achieving independence from Britain but not for current Malaysia. A new system of governance is needed. Hitherto, the constitution could not be easily amended when a corrupt government had the command of a two-third majority in parliament. A new educational policy must be instituted to instil and breed a new generation of Malaysians that do not want to think along racial lines. The leadership realizes that Malaysia cannot afford to be divided especially in this age of globalization and all human resources must be utilized to their full potential regardless of race or religious affiliations.

Can Anwar Ibrahim assume the new leadership role? This man is a politician to the core. It must be remembered that Anwar was instrumental in implementing the New Economic Policy to the hilt. Hopefully, he has come to understand that Malaysia is now a different country. Politics along racial lines is a thing of the past; only good when the country needed to come together to achieve independence from the British. Anwar's words currently indicate that he is more for an administration that is fair and does not condone a discriminatory policy outlined in NEP. We just have to wait for awhile to see whether or not he will do the walk.

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