KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Diminishing optimism since Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) unlikely general election victory was a sign of failure the coalition must address, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang conceded today.
The DAP leader noted that sections of the country were increasingly polarised, as evidenced by the recent controversy over the introduction of Jawi lessons in vernacular schools.
Lim asserted that fake news and falsehoods were also becoming increasingly ubiquitous online, leading the country’s communities into believing they were each facing existential threats.
“We seem to have lost confidence in ourselves as a plural society, where our diversity should be our asset, fearful and suspicious of each other and unable to leverage on the best values and qualities of the Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western civilisations which meet in confluence in Malaysia to build a great Malaysian nation,” Lim said in a statement today.
Lim asked who was responsible for spreading the fear but did not provide any suggestions.
He went on to say it was critical for Pakatan Harapan to promote a “moderate Malaysian centre”, in part by delivering its election manifesto pledges that remain unfulfilled.
“Malaysia will not achieve Vision 2020 in 2020. But it will be a make-or-break year for the Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya to reset nation-building policies for Malaysia!”
In August, the Education Ministry announced that vernacular schools would teach the Jawi script in place of the plan to introduce khat calligraphy that was aborted following public protest.
Chinese education coalition Dong Zong had planned a congress on December 28 to oppose the policy but the police secured a court order barring this after rival groups threatened to hold counter-rallies outside.
PH won unexpectedly against Barisan Nasional in the 13th general election but the euphoria of victory has given way to disappointment over undelivered promises and reforms as well as prolonged infighting among the ruling parties.
