Coalition leaders lack understanding of democracy - Analyst
KUALA LUMPUR - The prevailing heat in Malaysian politics shows no signs of abating in the aftermath of the state elections.
Emir Research's president and CEO, Datuk Dr Rais Hussin noted that this persistence is fueled by the rhetoric of several coalition leaders who appear to lack a comprehensive understanding of the democratic system.
"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has acknowledged the public's voices and urged us to move forward. Yet, some leaders have treated this as a referendum, advocating for Anwar and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down from their roles.
"Another leader has affirmed their intent to press on toward Putrajaya," Rais Hussin commented during his appearance on Sunday's Awani Agenda programme.
He stressed that these statements showcased a fundamental misconception within the upper echelons of political leadership, where they seem to overlook the essence of democracy.
Rais Hussin stressed that democracy inherently involves elections, followed by the commitment to governance.
He questioned whether it was prudent to continue political power struggles indefinitely while the nation grapples with numerous pressing issues.
During the programme, which also featured KRA Group's Strategic Director, Amir Fareed Rahim, Amir concurred that the political enthusiasm is unlikely to wane, especially with upcoming by-elections.
He predicted that dissatisfied parties would persist in stoking the flames of controversy.
Looking ahead, Amir expressed his hope that all parties involved would engage in honest self-reflection, conducting thorough postmortems to extract lessons from the present circumstances.
While acknowledging the intense polariation, Amir highlighted that identity politics is only one facet, often overshadowed by more pressing concerns.
“It’s true that there is a strong polarisation, so identity politics is also an important factor (in the state elections), but when talking to those on the ground, this is often the second or third issue.
“The main issue is the economic issue. This is a complex issue as the economic problems are different for different groups, it must be refined," he said.
Amir attributed the impact of discontent stemming from the general elections (GE) as a contributing factor to the ongoing turmoil.
As a remedy, he advocated for introspection among political leadership, recommending an open and transparent examination of all issues and a commitment to improvement. - AWANI
