KUCHING: While Malaysia is facing a battle on multiple fronts amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it should not be regarded as a failed state, views political analyst Prof Dr Jayum Jawan.
The Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus Faculty of Humanity, Management and Science dean said a failed state is defined by high inflation, limited food supply, failure in governance, especially in government delivery system.
“Malaysia has many issues — social, economic and political in nature, but these have not brought the country to the state that it be called a failed state.
“It is addressing the Covid-19 pandemic in the manner which it knows best, with each passing phase a lesson learnt to further improve on how the pandemic could and should be managed,” he told New Sarawak Tribune on Monday (July 12).
Prof Jayum was commenting on an article ran by an international news portal describing that Malaysia had gone down the path of failed statehood.
He pointed out that several foreign journalists, who have negatively commented on Malaysia in the past weeks, are known for their past criticism.
“They do not have anything good to say about Malaysia before, now, and not likely to have good ones too in the near future regardless of how well Malaysia may come out dealing with the present crisis that is gripping the country.”
He noted that Malaysia is currently experiencing a period of political instability due to the absence of a political party or a coalition of political parties that hold an absolute majority.
However, he said that the present political scenario was a good thing as it pushed the people to come together for open dialogues on how to best form a government and govern multi-ethnic Malaysia.
He stated that the new political landscape required a ‘new deal’ as in a ‘new normal’ after the 2018 general election.
“Malaysian politics is entering a new era brought about by the change in the political landscape after the 2018 general election. Whereas prior to 2018, Malaysia has been governed based on a solid majority secured by a political part or a ‘formal’ coalition of political parties, but this has changed.
“The new deal would be the rejuvenating of old ideals that have brought the people and nations together in 1957 in Malaya and in 1963 the Federation of Malaysia. Those values were consultation, cooperation, accommodation and comprises that were the fundamentals of Malaya and Malaysia. These were what brought the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli as well as the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak together.
“Before it has been single-handedly carried out by one ethnic through arm twisting method, but this time around it would be based on genuine desire to make Malaysia better for all regardless of race, religion, and origin.”
