sideviews
Has civil society betrayed the people? – Shakira Iskandar
What encouraged the likes of Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and Maria Chin Abdullah to join forces with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad? Foolish idealism? Obsession with driving out Datuk Seri Najib Razak from office?
Perhaps. But one thing is sure – they have had to eat their own words and their reputation has been tainted.
Civil society has always been the “third force” of our society. Providing a check-and-balance system which ensures our politicians and businesses toe the line. This third force, however, has been weakened the moment the civil society leaders joined forces with the likes of Dr Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
No one is questioning their fight against the prime minister. They have a right to voice out their concerns and opinion. But I do want to question their method.
As a citizen, I am utterly disappointed that our civil society leaders have fallen into the trap of political power play. Their obsession with Najib is clouding their judgment and decision-making.
They have chosen instead to put aside their principles and work with the devil.
For the greater good? I don’t think so.
Dr Mahathir held power for 22 years with an iron fist, angering (most notably) the civil society along the way. He has weakened and undermined our judiciary system. He clamped down our freedom of speech by intimidating dissenters via our laws and institutions which are tainted with corruption under his rule.
Who can forget Op Lalang, and the infamous Internal Security Act? Or 1988 judiciary crisis when the chief justice (then known as the Lord President of the Supreme Court) was dismissed without justification because of political interference engineered by the then prime minister?
Certainly not the civil society. These are the very cases they have fought against in the past.
Muhyiddin, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib are some of Dr Mahathir’s counterparts who had also been part of the top leadership of the same corrupted system, with a fair share of their own scandals.
Yet today, the leaders of the civil society are standing by the very people they condemned. Together, announcing and giving their seal of approval to the Citizens’ Declaration.
The very man whom they called “Mahazalim”, “Firaun”, whom they accused of destroying the institutions of our nation is now leading their charge.
Ambiga and friends may say that the end justifies the means but in this instance, their actions speak louder than ever. It shouts betrayal and screams hypocrisy. – March 10, 2016.
* Shakira Iskandar reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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