ALL political parties, candidates, the general public, and especially the voters are encouraged to make the most of opportunities afforded by the upcoming 15th general election.
The mandate has once again been returned to the people after a few years beset by uncertainties and instability. It’s time for the people to set things right by going to the polls.
The atmosphere of this year’s general election is significantly different from that of 2018. Political party members and people in this country have five questions they find puzzling.
The first question has been answered by the Oct 10 dissolution of Parliament. Some are in favour while others are opposed. The second concerns the Election Commission’s announcement that polling has been set for Nov 19, which pushes the time forward for the production of manifestos.
Then there are public expectations pertaining to the election results and the uncertainty as to which party or coalition will be victorious.
The nature of a new government, that is, whether it would be reflective of the people’s wishes and desires, is a cause for some concern and also raises certain questions. It’s common knowledge after several general elections that forming a new government is seldom a straightforward affair as it inevitably has great impact on the nation’s administrative machinery.
Lastly, the most-asked question concerns the federal budget once the new government has been formed. The incoming administration will either present a new budget or continue with the one tabled before the dissolution of Parliament.
The responsibility of forming a government is a fundamental element of our parliamentary democracy as it is a culmination of a literal transfer of political mandate from the voters to their representatives.
Before all of that can take place, voters are given a period to see and assess the competing parties and candidates from three fundamentally different viewpoints — the track records, the quality of candidates, and their manifestos.
For quite a while before the dissolution of the Parliament, there have been suggestions and also demands that the government should be replaced. That was understandable because in four years and six months, there were three prime ministers, which demonstrated the inability of each government to deliver its best in serving the people. Even now, arguments and political prejudices are still going on in public or behind closed doors.
One can’t help wonder if the country’s political struggle would end. For the moment, the political landscape a very bumpy, with lots of maneuvering going on. It is quite difficult to establish useful compromises. This always compels people to criticise the system’s instability and weaknesses.
The people’s mandate must be handed over again to the representatives, while attention must also be given to the weather for fear of sudden floods. This issue must be addressed adequately because voting during a flood is a great obstacle to overcome.
Be that as it may, people should accept the reality with an open mind and carry out their duties as honestly as possible. We hope that the election results this time will result in formation of an accountable and effective government.
To preserve the nation’s political stability, the government must care about the well-being and welfare of its people.
It should go without saying that to prevent future administrations from developing a bad political culture that could get passed on to future generations, our parliamentary democratic system and constitutional monarchy must be preserved at all cost.
