Picture by Malaysia Chronicle
Money, power, sex
and corruption are embodied into a Malaysian political culture since the early
time of economic awakening. The nation enjoyed higher Gross National Income per
capita in late 1980’s and continues to fluctuate into a greater number and statistics
till today. See indexmundi.com. The indicator shows that Malaysia’s
economy is growing up tremendously with increasing of Gross National Product fluctuating
between max 10.30% and min -6.20%. See tradingeconomic.com. Malaysia was once
called as the Asian Tiger Economy with fast growing economy in early 1990’s
till late millennium; over passing its neighbors Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong
and Taiwan. It was a pride for Malaysia
to be the first automotive manufacturer in Asia apart from Japan- with their
first breed of Proton Saga. Industries booming by the increasing FDI in every
sector of industries named it manufacturing, plantation, technology and
finance.
That was the
greatest moment for Malaysia under the Mahathirism; the father of modernization,
Asian’s genius. Politic was full of turbulence but the economy is growing up.
Economic holds the liberalism in Malaysia’s politic under the one party
dominance with no competition from opposition. Malaysia enjoyed “stability”
under the rigid rule of law and guided democracy. Those worked well for at
least 20 years. Democracy was made illiberal with limitation of public’s
governance, check and balance and transparency. Oppositions have no voice in
the parliament as there were strict acts that forbid then to oppose and object
injustice in law-making. Internal Security Act has been used to limit the
opposition’s progress and at the same time permits the government to change
laws and acts at their will.
Malaysia has enjoy
decades of unfair game of political and economic triumph but forgets about the
revolution of it citizens. Nevertheless, there is one major power that made
Malaysian’s politic at one side dominance; money politics. It is practiced from
the highest power stage to the lowest ground of politic. It has been used in
selecting party’s councils, representatives and even to the election of party’s
branch’s head. This phenomenon is practice well in every party under the
coalition named it UMNO, MCA, MIC, PBB, PBS and small minority parties. It is all
about wining power battle at all cost because the reward is greater than the
risk. In investment term, it is called “high risk with high return”.
In last general
election, money politic decides the majority mostly in rural area where voter are
bought by cash, cheque, development projects and not least feast and live band
shows. Najib’s freebies worked well with his simple majority although billion
ringgit has been “invested” in buying vote from the public servants and the
citizens. It was the first in history of Malaysia that the citizens are given
such an amount of money to buy vote. RM 500.00 given to every household with
the household income less than RM 3000.00, RM 200.00 smart phone rebate for
youths and RM250.00 book voucher for students. Government spent billion of
ringgit for the freebies which affected their reserve, pension funds, tender acquisition
and the claim payment of the civil servants. Many have been affected badly by
the rain of money that was initiated to win the general election at all means. Business
is getting sluggish when computer is given for free from one monopoly supplier.
The value of the government tenders have been shrunken to the minimal to give
way for cash gift and all sorts of financial aids. Small and Medium enterprises
who rely mostly on government project have to obey the hiking cost of labor and
operation with the minimal resources; which affected their income and cash
flows.
In every village,
money is given to the party committees to be distributed among the voters.
Bundles of money are moving in and out form every political campaign and the
people sees it as an opportunity to get free money in every 5 years or less. Monetizing
politic is the most effective way to be in power and it is proven in most of
the election in Malaysia. There is no act to investigate and charge someone who
practiced money politic as the power of Election Commission is limited; only to
run and regulate the election process. It is a save game for those who keen to
invest in money politics.
Party candidates are
sponsored by business person as a stake holder, hoping that they will get
return from their nomination fee. It has been practiced long before when
politics is made as a business platform by the politicians themselves. Cronyism
begins to flourish the politics and its stakeholders which have created the
social class divisions, exclusiveness and feudalism. Citizens are arranged by
classes based on their economic power and its position in the politic.
Should money politic
continue to be as a culture and norm is a democratic Malaysia? Few decades ago
it seems to work well in America during the era of it industrial awakening; John.D
Roketfeller’s Standard Oil, Andrew Carnegie’s US Steel and J.P. Morgan’s
General Electric. Somehow, the public’s
power over passed the money politic in America under the man behind the drama; Theodore
Roosevelt.
Unless, if there is
courage to defy greed and money politics, we will understand and realize of
what we have lack of-integrity. Malaysia
is no more the Asian Tiger economy due to it bad politics, rising of illiberal
democracy and polarizations among the citizens. We have lost a of precious time
to grow the economy into it glory which has been grabbed by Singapore, Taiwan,
Hong Kong and South Korea as we enjoy politic more than focusing on building a
great nation as it was. Malaysia can
have the best political system and games but if it is lacking in weighing its
economic and social burden, it will be an uncertainty in another term of new
formed government.
