Asia
Malaysian reforms
Najib the bold
Sep 16th 2011, 12:13 by R.C.| SINGAPORE
WHEN Malaysia’ prime minister, Najib Razak, wants to do things—anything—it seems that he has do it in a big, all-consuming rush. He recently pledged to reform outdated censorship laws and to review the electoral system. That alone was pretty controversial stuff in a conservative political system, but on September 15th he trumped it by promising to repeal the country’s most oppressive internal security laws, including the dreaded Internal Security Act (ISA), further relax the laws on the media and to beef up the laws relating to freedom of assembly. Taken altogether, the government has described these changes as “the biggest shake-up of the Malaysian system since independence from Britain in 1957”, a “package of radical reforms that will further transform the country into a mature, progressive democracy.”
The proposed reforms might also, so his supporters hope, further transform the image of Mr Najib himself, from grey, indecisive technocrat into—well, a radical, mature, progressive democrat. After all, he has an election to win within the next year or so. The political trimmer, it seems, is now very definitely The Man with the Plan.
The repeal of the ISA was the most welcome measure. This was introduced in 1960 to help the government combat an armed insurgency by Communist rebels, a conflict inherited from the British colonial era and known then as the “emergency”. Its sweeping powers permitted the police to detain suspects indefinitely. However, like other similar laws and regulations of the period, it proved all too useful for governments long after the Communist threat had disappeared, and was retained. The ISA was used for decades to jail opposition politicians, union activists, students, journalists—anyone that the government wanted out of the way. Neighbouring Singapore still has its own ISA.
Other laws on the way out include the Emergency Ordinance, introduced in 1969 following race riots, which also allowed people to be detained without charge; the Banishment Act of 1959; and a law restricting residency , dating from the 1930s. Human rights groups have acclaimed all these changes. The government has also promised that newspapers and journals will now only have to get a publication permit once, valid indefinitely unless revoked, rather then annually, thus reducing the scope for government interference and pressure on the media.
If all these laws are indeed repealed and changes implemented, then the political landscape in Malaysia might look very different in a few years' time, and Mr Najib will be able to claim a lot of credit for that. Opposition politicians, many of whom have urged the abolition of the ISA for years, were unusually generous in their acclaim for Mr Najib, and broadly welcomed the announcements.
However, the real test as to whether these reforms will really make a big difference will come next year when the government unveils the two new laws that it say will replace the outgoing ISA and Emergency Ordinance. New laws will, apparently, allow for “far more judicial oversight”, but still allow the police “to detain suspects for preventive reasons.” The arguments will revolve around what “limits” the new laws will put on the police to detain people, mainly on grounds of the catch-all “national security” and terrorism. Expect a big political punch-up about that. And we will know more about Mr Najib’s credentials as a genuine reformer—as a radical even—when that debate comes around.
For now, though, Malaysians will be content with the promises made. The opposition feels vindicated, although they will worry that Mr Najib has swiped many of their most distinctive campaign promises at the next election. Democracy activists and netizens are proclaiming that Mr Najib has bowed to “people power” after a nasty government crackdown on a rally in Kuala Lumpur in early July backfired, leading merely to intense criticism of the overzealous tactics used to contain the protestors—much of the legislation used to crack down on the organisers of the Bersih 2.0 rally is now history. And even Mr Najib’s governing party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), will be relatively happy, feeling that they have a much clearer prospectus going into the next election than they did a few months ago.
Some on the extreme Malay wing of the party grumble that all this reform stuff is going too far, but they will go along with it as long as it does not touch on the most profound sources of oppression and grievance in the country, the institutionalised ethnic discrimination that privileges Malays over the country’s other races, mainly Chinese and Indians. It is the system of ethnic quotas and divisions that is really holding the country back—if Mr Najib started to take an axe to all that, then absolutely nobody would question his credentials as a radical reformer.
In this blog, our Asia correspondents and our Banyan columnist provide comment and analysis on Asia's political and cultural landscape. The blog takes its name from the Banyan tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment and Gujarati merchants used to conduct business.
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plz teach me. how can I study this topic in academic perspective.
I want to write paper about this contents.
plz teach me. how can I study this topic in academic perspective.
I want to write paper about this contents.
Personally after living in Malaysia for a year. I think the bump putra laws should be revoked. No country really wants to invest in a country that has quotas for how many people you have to higher. If I was looking to expand a business, I wouldn't invest in Malaysia. I think it's great that they are looking to reform, especially their ISA laws.
It’s great that Najib is trying to move in the right direction towards reform, but his unclear plan may come to hurt him later. Every country wants to be economically sound in route to becoming a developed country, but the leaders need to have a distinct plan to do so. By being indecisive, it leaves the country vulnerable and up for possible takeover. This country has to show stability economically and politically before it can be even remotely recognized by other powers. Najib has the right idea but he needs to show a lot more strong leadership in order for the people to believe change is coming. If he can do that, then I can see Malaysia making a mark on the world in the future.
@nkkhoo.com
Its funny because you say Megawati collaborated with Suharto until the last two years of the Suharto government, but what about Anwar Ibrahim who was Deputy PM for Malaysia !!! I don't know what is kowtowing here. That is pretty high profile to me.
The fact is Malaysia now according to Freedom House is still partly free like Indonesia was under most of the Suharto period. For every case of abuse or curbs in civil / religious liberties you mention during the Suharto period I can provide a counter to that in Malaysia.
Under Suharto there was most likely more religious freedom than there is in Malaysia today. Muslims were not arrested like they are in Malaysia today for drinking beer. You did not have the religious controversy as you do in Indonesia/Malaysia today. Suharto despite all his faults throughout most of his rule was non-sectarian and within the government apparatus - secular (ie like Turkey).
I am not trying to defend Suharto I am just giving the bad / good side.
Bismarck888..
Why Megawati never disappeared during the Suharto dictatorship?
You make claim you are living in Indonesia for 15 year, but so blinded to see things happen under your nose.
Megawati is the daughter of Indonesia founding father, no idiot will eliminate such a high profile figure and expect no backlash from its people and international community.
Myanmar junta is as smart as Suharto for keeping Aung San Su Kyi alive, she is also the daughter of a founding father for Burmese.
Secondly, megawati was willing to kowtow and be a party of Suharto state-guided democracy system.
Prime Minister Najib's decision to repeal these laws is definitely giving more power to the people. I think these repeals move the country more towards a democracy, but the laws that are going in place of the ISA and the Emergency Ordinance are too vague and still allow the government to interpret them in such a way that they can detain "suspects" for any reason they feel necessary. It appears that the wordings of the previous laws are being changed slightly, but still have the same meaning which takes power away from the people. Hopefully Najib's debate on the interpretation will prove otherwise.
@sizzlestick
"Bismark888. Since when do military dictatorships need ‘proper’ laws or civilian police force to enhance their dictating?"
Let's get the facts straight. While Indonesia was a military dictatorship. Dictatorships / police states depends on boots on the ground to police people. Indonesia's combined military/police during the Suharto period was 600,000-700,000. As you may know Indonesia is a very large country. They let alot of things slip by because they did not have the resources to go after everyone.
The fact is during much of the Suharto period it was not much different than Malaysia/Singapore in terms of freedom today. All three were listed as partly free by Freedom House.
@nkkhoo.com wrote:
Sep 19th 2011 12:34 GMT
"Bismarck888...Your knowledge about Suharto administration is just another imagination from the closet. I was stayed in Indonesia for three years till Suharto was kicked out.
I saw with my own eyes Indonesian police beating its people for a small traffic offense, they did not need to issue summons, beating will do.
Besides, the witnesses for accident have to bribe police also before they are allowed to leave police station.
The police and military let Batak and Flores people killed each other on the street for a week.
Suharto did not need ISA, his army like Kopassu would make sure his political dissents disappear like a thin air.
Why they need to declare martial law in 1998's riot, basically the police was ordered to stay at home, and Indonesian military was running amok and targeted Chinese during the three days killing and raping spree.
Who can impose the martial law if the culprits are from the military?
These above incidents were happened before Suharto resigned.
But, today's Indonesia is the most democratic and free nation in the SEA."
I lived in Indonesia for fifteen years and actually had my share of dealings with the police. I stayed there before and after the fall of Suharto's fall. Indonesia during much of the Suharto period was listed as partly free just like Malaysia/Singapore is now by Freedom House.
Police brutality still exist in Indonesia. India's police are even more brutal. As for Malaysia and Suharto's Indonesia, what did Suharto do to Megawati personally when she was the opposition leader? Did they torture her and charge her with rape twice ? Even Xanana Gusmao was treated better when he was detained than Anwar Ibrahim.
As for
Yes, it is a very welcome from the PM's announcement that the ISA will be abolished. But he has also stated that 2 new laws will be tabled to replace the ISA. Whatever it is, why should we be so excited when the ISA has yet to be abolished. We should only rejoice when it is tabled in the parliament and passed. After all this is just an announcement. We must see result. It can be backtracked anytime and become just a hollow slogan and empty promises.
Bismarck888...Your knowledge about Suharto administration is just another imagination from the closet. I was stayed in Indonesia for three years till Suharto was kicked out.
I saw with my own eyes Indonesian police beating its people for a small traffic offense, they did not need to issue summons, beating will do.
Besides, the witnesses for accident have to bribe police also before they are allowed to leave police station.
The police and military let Batak and Flores people killed each other on the street for a week.
Suharto did not need ISA, his army like Kopassu would make sure his political dissents disappear like a thin air.
Why they need to declare martial law in 1998's riot, basically the police was ordered to stay at home, and Indonesian military was running amok and targeted Chinese during the three days killing and raping spree.
Who can impose the martial law if the culprits are from the military?
These above incidents were happened before Suharto resigned.
But, today's Indonesia is the most democratic and free nation in the SEA.
Readng some the commentaries here, reminds me of indigenous Malaysian news portals. Not the highly esteemed The Economist.
Hey people, do show your smarts, not your muck here. Some of your samples:
IMOO, you, in big hurry to speak your mind and 1 minute later: a correction. You sound like a human-trafficker on the go… so busy with your population exchanges.
Bismark888. Since when do military dictatorships need ‘proper’ laws or civilian police force to enhance their dictating?
WordlyWisdom. So what’s new? Have you never heard Ancient Egypt or Rome, top GDP, top Per Capita Income of their times? And that’s in the Old World. What about the Incas in the yet-to-be discovered New World? Degraded human lives can come with high GDP and per capita income, too. Go on, try teaching me something new.
And another thing, this is not a Malaysian news-portal; stay away from your nativism. Speak proper and easily understood English. Finally, you are in too much name-dropping, which is not an argument.
It seems like Malaysia is going through some major dynamic changes in several sectors of their society. The economy is in a boom due to the cheap, but effective medical procedures that are drawing in "medical tourists", and now the slight power shift from the government to the people on the political scene. With these changes, they will probably draw more attention on the international scene. This may cause some larger powers to invest in this smaller country, causing an even greater boom, which could then create an even greater shift of power to the people. I'm going to keep a watchful eye on Malaysia for this domino effect.
The ideals for BERSIH were fine. Unfortunately, it was hijacked by opposition politicians and turned into a political party-led demonstration instead of an NGO-led rally. Headed by the same person who led the Reformasi rallies of the late 1990s, no less.
The implication was that only parties that marched in Yellow were 'clean'; those that did not (the ruling coalition) were deemed 'corrupt'. Luckily, the boys in Yellow shots themselves in the foot.
And please, stop making a big deal out of the police's actions. They kept their kids gloves on throughout. 50,000 ruffled feathers is better than a repeat of the so-called peaceful Reformasi rallies (smashed car windows, innocent people getting hurt, etc).
oh, and ask Anwar, Teo Beng Hock,...
UMNO (the most corrupt party in Malaysia) use the same technique everytime. Say one thing and do the other. Like nkkhoo.com said: "A leopard never change its spots".
And to those that criticized Singapore have the similar ISA laws, check this, Singapore GDP in 2009 is 182bil while Malaysia is 193bil but Singapore GDP per capita in 2009 is USD$36,537, Malaysia is $7,030, in another word, Singaporean made FIVE times more than Malaysian. While 2 countries start at the same starting line and Singapore has much more disadvantage Lee Kuan Yew make all the right law to protect their country while Mahartir made all the law to protect his own people (excluding most Chinese).
Najib is just another dog from Dr Mah kampung whilst he can be more brutal than Dr Mah, just ask Ms Mongolian lady.
@Shikhee Soeb wrote:
Sep 18th 2011 5:34 GMT
"The reforms that will be implemented by Prime Minister Najib Razak in Malaysia will hopefully serve as an example to the rest of the developing countries in the region, such as Singapore and Indonesia."
The irony is that even though Indonesia was a military dictatorship during the Suharto era it never had the type of ISA laws that Singapore/Malaysia had. Even during 1998, martial law was never declared. The police in Indonesia even during the Suharto period were never as strong as they were in places like Malaysia and Singapore.
I meant "race based AFFIRMATIVE ACTION".
Race based discrimination does more harm than good in every country where it is practiced - Nigeria, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, China, USA. Those who benefit from it will never give it up voluntarily. Malaysia will never be able to rid itself of its greatest cancer without bloodshed. This country has no place to go but down. It's better the government just does a population swap with China and India, 7 million Chinese-Malaysians for 7 million Chinese muslim-Uighurs, and 3 million Indian-Malaysian for 3 million muslim-Indians. That way 100% of its all-muslim population can benefit from affirmative action, win-win!
Najib the bold allright, but radical changes not so quickly, lest he is ousted in he next election. There is no place for discrimination in a democratic society which is practiced under the table in all white democracies and also in the largest democracy in the world.