September 4, 2011
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com
September 16, 2008: When the Frogs unsuccessful to leap
Written by Maclean Patrick, Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
The Malaysian domestic landscape is dotted with instances of politicians leap-frogging from the single celebration to another. It is something to watch for in the aftermath of any general election, to the extent which it is no longer seen as aberrant though rsther than the facet of domestic life.
Currently, there have been no authorised drift in Malaysia to say which when an inaugurated parliamentarian decides to switch to an additional party, he or she is liable to lose the seat. Neither is there the law which can stop the single from jumping ship. All of it is authorised as well as lawful. Not just here though in many countries all over the world together with the United States, Japan as well as Britain. There, when the single jumps, it is customarily due to the falling apart in beliefs or the really clever feeling of antithesis to the particular policy or law which the obligatory celebration wishes to introduce, though which is totally opposite the representatives beliefs as well as boundaries of acceptance.
Sad to say, jumping in Malaysia is seldom about issues, beliefs or beliefs though rsther than about the amount of inducements, enticements as well as in many cases even blackmail! Where offers for switching faithfulness have been corrupt in inlet as well as where extort is involved, defectors as well as their motivators should be punished as well as ostracised by both the electorates as well as the nation.
The difference
< p>So when Anwar Ibrahim plainly spoken in 2008 which the series of Sarawakian as well as Sabahan MPs were ready to cross to the Pakatan Rakyats side of the Parliamen! t, he di d not do anything wrong nor unlawful. Neither was he reprobate or unprincipled.But since it harked behind to the 1994 Sabah failure when Joseph Pairin Kitingan was unjustly deprived of his infancy by the BN using unsavoury equates to to tempt his MPs, Anwars plan to wrest the sovereign government upon Sep 16, 2008, was regarded as the mom of all leap-frog fiascos. Ironically, Anwar was additionally concerned in the 1994 pierce opposite Pairin.
In 2008, when Anwar unsuccessful since he could not lift over enough MPs to the Pakatan during the same time, he suffered the extensive blow to his credibility. Yet it was not his lack of leadership, though the combination of threats, hiked-up enticements from the BN, as well as mostly, since the MPs themselves were not informed with Anwar as well as his style.
Three years have passed as well as there is small doubt which the Pakatan can govern, so cold feet as well as the flop such as the 2008 the single is unlikely to repeat itself should the event come again to Anwar as well as his team.
Nonethleless, Anwars Sep sixteen did in law rile up the BN to the extent which it was forced to invite MPs from Sabah as well as Sarawak to the paid study tour to Taiwan to sense about agricultural techniques. The BN may have discharged Anwars claims which he was means to sway the numbers to his side, though the law was it was frightened stiff during the prospect, which was really genuine indeed.
Anwars Sep sixteen real, not the pipe-dream
And of all people, BN should know. They have regularly been in the business of 
buying over the antithesis or recruiting BN-friendly parliamentarians over to their stay to seaside up their numbers. One has usually to demeanour to the Perak energy squeeze of 2009 to understand the disproportion in methods employed by Prime Minister Najib Razak, who! controv ersially enticed 3 pass Pakatan Rakyat defections, as well as Anwars 2008 call made plainly to BN MPs to cross over as well as assistance build the improved Malaysia.
Najibs Perak turnover was finished shadily with MACC prosecutions leveled during dual of the lawmakers whilst the third was believed to have perceived an 8-figure cheque. Anwar, without resources to match, could usually suggest improved power-sharing, the just as well as kind Malaysia as well as larger accountability to the people who voted the MPs to power. The disproportion is in law telling.
Just days ago, WikiLeaks suggested which the Sep sixteen defections had created panic inside of the BN leadership. Sarawak as well as Sabah parliamentarians were upon the tipping indicate of making history. The wire leaked upon WikiLeaks reliable which Sep sixteen was real, not the pipe-dream as the BN has painted it to be. An entry in the diplomatic note sent from the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur to Washington quotes former Sabah arch apportion Salleh Said Keruak as revelation US officials which potentially more than half of the twenty-five Sabah MPs were ready to abandon the BN.
Matter-of-factly, Salleh settled which between (eight) as well as fourteen BN MPs (out of Sabahs twenty-five MPs) would leave the BN, naming (five) from UMNO as well as (four) from Upko, in addition to (two) from SAPP, the cable, dated June 24, 2008, read.
Why did they leave Anwar unresolved in the air
Then, because did the defections not materialize, withdrawal Anwar Ibrahim with the hugely annoying incident upon his hands. Until his vindication by the recent cable, Anwar has had to suffer the consequences of havin! g unhapp y the people. With hindsight, it is obvious which the seasoned statesman similar to him would shun such the jolt unless he had been sincerely sure of success. Why did the East Malaysian MPs lift the carpet from underneath him then?
Firstly, Sarawak as well as Sabahan parliamentarians have been not really flushed with the frog mentality, although they have been severely ruled by the flock instinct. Once the personality with the clever character announces he will pierce in the certain direction, the rest would follow. For Anwar to have the parliamentarians defect, he needed to have the personality amongst the Sarawakian as well as Sabahan MPs to lead the approach or sound the gong, so to speak.
Secondly, the East Malaysian politicians have been community-based leaders. To forsake from the status quo is tantamount to betraying ones own village as well as family. Communities have been mostly times built along family lines. Almost all the time, the statesman is related to his supporters possibly via red blood or through marriage. Before the parliamentarian defected, he would need to convince his own believer base to switch over. And this would not be something any East Malaysian statesman would brave risk unless there is the clever pull by the village to defect.
The East Malaysian mindset for defection is really different from than the the single hold by many West Malaysian politicians. A peninsula man may jump ship for personal good as well as benefits, though the Sabahan or Sarawakian would usually do so if the village additionally supported it. And during which time, Pakatan was new, unheard of as well as untested still. Pakatan additionally did not have clever village leaders upon fire its route then.
New laws to protect voters
Even so, ! the eman ate of leap-frogging or defections will regularly be the tack in Malaysian politics. To 
the BN, it is normal usually if they good from it, similar to in Perak. But if the Pakatan attempted it, BN can be counted upon to thwart as well as demonize their efforts.
Strip away the domestic foreplay, during the finish of the day what counts is, what do the Rakyat o! r the pe ople want? Are they voting in convincing men as well as women who can really run the government? Or have been they small ballot pawns for domestic parties who see them as the stepping mill to energy as well as wealth?
In GE-13, all Malaysians need to take larger responsiblity for their own fate as well as not blindly follow. How can they allow their own future to be dictated by those who have invariably sole them out decade after decade? On this basement alone, they should opinion for change as well as give the other side the try.
Finally, brand brand new laws governing defections should additionally be considered. The first to be removed is the unfair 5 year ban imposed upon an MP who resigns his seat. This has provided frog MPs an forgive not to renounce their seats when they switch parties for the sake of financial good or benefits.
A brand brand new law should additionally be deliberate requiring MPs to automatically quit their seats if they renounce from their party, protecting the people as well as permitting them to decide once again what it is which they really want.
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