Finding our political mojo

The highly anticipated 27th Asean Summit and related summits which witnessed the attendance of regional and world leaders has finally concluded. It is for that reason critical to assess where Malaysia is today.

Regional issues aside, one key highlight during the past week was Malaysia’s reputation. We are in a precarious phase where the political system is being increasingly confronted. It is self-evident that the level of discourse and debate on the Malaysian political scene has stooped low over the years.

During the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) session between United States President Barack Obama and 500 youth leaders from the Southeast Asian region, two Malaysian participants raised questions related to transparency.

One linked it with the political funding scandal and another one with the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

This caught the attention of the media. One glaring link between these two questions is the growing concern over Malaysia’s democracy.

Myanmar’s recent election witnessed the landslide victory of the opposition, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The results show the rejection of military rule in Myanmar, which has been under army control for half a century.

This election was significant for it marked the final step not only in democratic reforms by Myanmar’s military-backed regime but also in the context of Southeast Asian politics.

Malaysia now has one of the longest ruling governments in the world. It is becoming a fascinating country for academic research because its political power struggle continues unabated.

What does the future hold for us?

Malaysia’s pro-democracy movements suffer from apparent protest fatigue, showing their lack of clear plans after months of intense political affairs.

The Bersih 4 rally on August 29 and 30, calling for democratic reforms, buoyed up the spirits of Malaysians and encouraged hope in our political system.

The recent opposition split adds to the current political turmoil. Moreover, with the erosion of human rights, we should take stock of what has caused the slow progress of democratic reforms and what Malaysia’s pro-democracy movements can do next.

The coming discourse will be dominated by questions raised by civil society over Malaysia’s leadership crisis and trust deficit, the country’s economic challenges and its democratic space as a whole.

Talking to a broad section of people supporting democratic reforms in the country, I can see the potential of Malaysia’s people power. Not many may share the same optimistic view, but young people are becoming more and more politically aware.

Only, how do we engage them in politics?

One main weakness in pro-democracy movements remains the mobilisation  of strength. Therefore, the first step towards young people mattering in politics is a re-engagement strategy.

To that end, pro-democracy movements have to think of ways to effectively work together despite their differences and competition with each other.

Eventually, it all boils down to the question of what kind of society Malaysians want. – November 23, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.