There is a tremendous gap between public policy and public opinion.
– Noam Chomsky, American professor of linguistics
Public policy and public opinion clashed in the UK while facing its Suez moment in 1957 when it deservedly lost its monopoly over the Suez Canal impelled by the relentless anti-colonial policies of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. The end of bully interference and a fresh beginning defines the Suez moment.
The Suez crisis nagged and egged British prime minister Anthony Eden: “If you have broken the eggs, you should make the omelette.” He made sure his nation did not get egg on its face. He had other sinister plans under the guise of public policy.
And those sinister plans called for the Empire to strike back with the stoking and fomenting of hatred, ill-will and chaos by instigating Israel into the Six Day War (1967) and the Yom Kippur War (1973). You rock the cradle and pinch the baby. Egypt got more than egg on its face.
The Suez moment visited Malaysia on May 13, 1969 when the cradle of peace, partnership and prosperity enjoyed by Malaysians was erratically and irresponsibly snatched away. A huge rock struck and shattered the cradle under colour of law.
Barisan Nasional weathered its Suez moment on May 9, 2018 when it lost its monopoly over Malaysian politics while Malaysian youth enjoyed the lowering of the voting age.
Better and bitter lessons wait in the wings for younger leaders who decide to jump into the fray to get caught in the frenzy of septuagenarian politics. The MUDA leader knows best.
Malaysia’s major Suez moment will arrive when ethnocracy is permanently immortalised in a special national monument of fame and not shame. Ten prime ministers never came to grips with reality staring them in their faces.
Malaysians Top-Ten List of Suez moments:
First call: A conclusive overhaul of our messed-up public education scheme. Some call it a scary scam. It must address future needs in skills development programs for every conceivable discipline in the arts and science streams. ‘Excellence, not ethnocentric politics and policies’ must become the call-sign.
Second bell: Eradicate corruption with the imposition of the death penalty for both bribe-givers and bribe- takers. PMX must take the bull by the horns given the two-thirds majority his coalition commands.
Third priority: Fortify the Federal Constitution (FC) with punitive powers to underscore constitutional supremacy in which the rule of law is fully explained and enunciated in a separate but new Article with a constitutional court for legislation to be subjected to judicial scrutiny and judicial surgery, if necessary, with Article 162(6) FC as the primary precision surgical implement.
Fourth prayer: Legitimise recognition, respect, regard and reverence for race, religion and region as a constitutional lifeguard to prevent extremists, in their frenetic zeal to claim supremacy and superiority, who force minorities to perish in a constitutional monarchy. Malaysian judges need not wrestle with issues on non-justiciability with Article 162(6) in their corner.
Fifth command: Article 153 FC to offer a safe and secure harbour given its pith and substance. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s constitutional responsibility to all Malaysians transcends race, religion and region that compels leaders to obey constitutional commands based on their oaths of office, or face appropriate punitive sanctions.
Stoking and fomenting race and religion is nothing but lese majeste to Malaysian Royalty tasked with a constitutional calling.
Sixth imperative: An impregnable anti-frog law to pre-empt, prevent and punish party jumpers who believe they won elections with parachutes attached. Any MP or state legislator who refuses to support such a law is a candidate for watchful scrutiny as he or she has exhibited an unhealthy propensity to jump.
Seventh blessing: The Malaysian ringgit can be shored, strengthened and stabilised using eco-friendly inground gold as a reserve legal tender currently traded at USD900 per ounce. Maintaining Malaysian reserves in US dollars is akin to welcoming highly venomous snakes under our blankets.
Eighth mandate: Give meaning and substance based on public opinion to our foreign policy that currently has no footing in the Federal Constitution. Foreign policy – the prerogative of the Executive – is a subjective monopoly with no basis in law. The ongoing bloodshed in the Middle East left our leaders in a foreign policy vacuum swiftly disabling their powers of intellectual articulation.
Ninth element: Facilitate the selection and election of judges and the Attorney General, by the voting public to obviate obvious bias in Executive appointments.
Separation of powers and the basic structure doctrine need constitutional footing and traction despite the findings of Marina Chin v. Ketua Pengarah Imigresen [2021] MLJU 12, Federal Court.
Tenth duty: Compel government to find a superior apparatus for the proper and efficient maintenance of our roadways. Potholes, ugly, unsafe and uneven patchworks are unacceptable to tax-payers constantly wondering about the final destination of tax ringgits.
George Orwell remarked: “Public opinion is less tolerant than any system of law.” Public opinion is democracy in action that has the ability to unmask and unmake unnecessary laws.
Malaysia’s Suez moment must entrench a durable legacy when public policy and public opinion sustain each other as an indispensable alliance. It has been said that power is okay, and stupidity is usually harmless. But power and stupidity together are patently dangerous. Malaysians are too well aware of this open secret.
Constant public vigilance is an indispensable public opinion Suez moment.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
