Written by Dr Lim Teck Ghee Sunday, 06 May 2012 15:52
Commentary
I thank Chandra for responding to my explanation upon his lambasting of Bersih 3.0.
Although a Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI) is reproducing his response in full, there is unequivocally really small brand brand new in a engagement.
Basically Chandra has rehashed his arguments upon a inclusive changes to tellurian rights as good as domestic as good as polite liberties which he sees receiving place in a country.
In his primary article he was really fatiguing upon these changes progressing that
"[I]t is an irrefutable actuality which by these legislative reforms [Peaceful Assembly Act, ISA repeal, etc] a space as good as scope for a countenance as good as articulation of tellurian rights has been stretched as good as enhanced as never before."
Disappearance of "Irrefutable Fact"
I had challenged this evidence as good as pointed out which these reforms need! doing a s good as acknowledgment from a belligerent to ascertain what has been gained as good as either they have been concrete in a context of a regime which has an unusual genius for contracting dirty tricks in sequence to sojourn in power, together with manipulating a electoral process.
I had proposed which should Chandra, after conducting severe amicable science investigate publish a formula confirming this "irrefutable fact", it might maybe help remonstrate sceptics which there have been "far-reaching changes to domestic as good as polite liberties".
Although he has not yet conducted a required research, it is good to note which a tenure "irrefutable fact" has right divided disappeared in his latest opinion piece. Perhaps Chandra right divided realizes which his primary depiction was not usually inapt though additionally indefensible.
Meaningful domestic change
Chandra right divided terms a domestic changes as "meaningful" as good as has invited me to discuss with him upon a subject "Are a domestic changes which have been receiving place in Malaysia currently significant?"
His brand brand new idea touches upon an critical topic as good as you welcome it. My own in front of is which it is premature to read as good many in a changes to date. There have been many examples from story of peremptory regimes receiving one step forward as good as two backwards, as good as engaging in feet dragging, sabotage as good as even some-more impassioned forms of resistance in response to democratization pressures.
Our own story has taught us to be discreet in being over-optimistic with a current reforms.The Prime Minister (see my article: Peaceful passing from one to another of power: Open letter to all domestic parties), comparison Umno leaders, as good as alternative extremist nationalists have served notice sometimes subtly; upon a! lternati ve occasions some-more plainly which all equates to might be used to prevent a pacific passing from one to another of power.The probability of these domestic reforms being tactical as good as a ruse aimed during shopping time is wholly plausible.
Many alternative domestic analysts as good as typical adults have additionally been sceptical which these changes which Chandra has created about have been amply deep as good as game-changing. Questions have been asked if they have fundamentally altered a peremptory complement imposed by a Barisan Nasional as good as if they simulate changes in a anti-democratic impression of a small of a BN's leadership. It is here which Chandra as good as you differ profoundly though distinct him, you do not consider it is an emanate which can be resolved over a debating table.
I contingency additionally put it upon record which even if a antithesis were to come to energy during a next elections, pressure would have to continue to be exercised upon a brand brand new government to set up a some-more robust parliamentary democracy.
In a Spirit of Merdeka stipulation of 2007 which was endorsed by a vast number of polite society organizations, there was a call for a investiture of a strong democracy in which a subdivision of energy of a executive, legislative as good as law is maintained, as good as checks as good as balances preventing a monopoly or abuse of energy by a senior manager branch have been in place.
The stipulation additionally called for a encouragement of tellurian rights as good as basic freedoms which have been based upon values of participation, accountability, transparency, equivalence as good as diversity. Six major areas of reform were identified.
If you compare a reforms undertaken recently wi! th a ful l list identified in a declaration, it can be seen which you have a long journey forward in a struggle for tellurian rights as good as democracy. In particular, areas such as a investiture of domestic as good as administrative neutrality in key institutions such as a judiciary, a polite service, police, Election Commission, a Attorney General's office; as good as ensuring autonomy in a horde of alternative institutions as good as processes in a society, as good as not usually a electoral process, have been still lagging.
How useful would an open open discuss be?
Chandra has noted which "on both a electoral routine as good as domestic changes, Teck Ghee as good as I, it is obvious, have opposite approaches.Instead of stability to air a views by a cyber media, you entice him to discuss with me in open upon what you consider is a many fundamental question confronting Malaysians today. Are a domestic changes which have been receiving place in Malaysia currently significant?"
Frankly there would be really small value added in a one-off open debate. In my view, an open discuss as a one-time event is as good fleeting to assent concrete sermon witness a Lim Guan Eng as good as Chua Soi Lek exchange. Also there might not be many seductiveness in usually a two of us punishment a views to an audience. What differences you have towards domestic shift is clear from a commentaries.Our opinions have already reached Malaysians by a cyber media.In actuality Dr. Chandra, by his lucky standing with a mainstream media, has had many greater imitation as good as electronic coverage for his views than you can ever goal to achieve.
This is not to say which you am antithetic to erudite discussion as good as analysis upon a extent as good as significance of a domestic reforms undertaken. you have never run divided from a good erudite discussion. If Chandra is unrelenting upon carrying this sell take place, you would similar to to introduce a some-more complete sermon over a CPI we! bsite (< a href="http://www.cpiasia.net">www.cpiasia.net) as good as over his JUST as good as Yayasan 1Malaysia websites, or even over a Universiti Sains Malaysia website.That approach a educational as good as endangered open interested in a subject of domestic shift in Malaysia can experience in a cyber forum.
A cyber forum will not usually broaden a assembly though can additionally bring about a postulated as good as higher quality of discourse. Chandra as good as you can determine upon a terms of reference for a open sermon as good as provide a opening cases.We can make use of his primary idea of subject as a starting indicate as good as if you work quickly, you am hopeful you can exercise this forward of a coming elections.
Should my counter offer receive a go-ahead, you expect Chandra to make use of his influence as a chairman of a board of curators of Yayasan 1Malaysia to have this discuss disseminated in as unedited a form as probable in a mainstream media as good as all over a 1Malaysia network. you will similarly make use of my (more limited) influence to see if a sermon can be serve disseminated some-more widely.
Chandra has suggested as good which a open discuss be conducted in a inhabitant language.I determine which it is critical to reach a Malay audience. you would similar to to introduce which Chandra, for a start, arranges for a interpretation of a sell into Bahasa Malaysia by his Yayasan 1Malaysia staff, as good as to pass out this sell in a Malay imitation media as a prelude to an lengthened forum.
Malaysia as a Police State
In his note too, Chandra has referred to a confront as to either he had ever made a statement with courtesy to Malaysia being a military state. you had lifted this indicate during a open forum organised by PCORE (an NGO) in November 2010, as good as he had asked me to provide explanation during which meeting.I stop which in my reply, you had settled which you had performed this report from an art! icle by a internal scholar.I might have said which you apologised if this report was untrue.
Subsequently, you had an sell over a e-mail initiated by Chandra in which he asked me to "e-mail [him] a letter which cites me describing Malaysia as a Police State." you responded by upon condition which him with a full reference to a writer of a educational paper created in 1991 as good as a following footnote from which paper:
"Widely quoted amicable censor Chandra Muzaffar (1986) was to protest even prior to Operation Lallang of 'a rarely controlled, severely limited, democracy in Malaysia.' After a events of 1987 as good as 1988, he, as good as YM Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia's initial Prime Minister, and Malaysia's leading elder statesman, were changed to make use of a tenure 'police state' to describe a incident in Malaysia." (p.23)
I subsequently pointed out to Chandra in a e-mail sell which whilst there is a difference between "a rarely controlled, severely limited, democracy", a "police state" as good as a "fettered democracy", it is not simply semantics, as good as "it is critical for you to explain this."
I additionally suggested which "an explanatory article upon a above topic in a NST will you am certain be didactic to a public, as good as to me; as good as will beget many food for thought for all of us." That turned out to a last occasion when Chandra communicated with me upon a topic of a "highly controlled, severely limited, democracy" you live in. It was followed by a deafening overpower upon his part.
Final words
Chandra has been during pains to show which he has been consistent over a past decades in his stance upon a major issues confronting a country.
Chandra, my friend, there have been many, together with your Barisan Nasional allies, who have been bemused by your egghead acrobatic exercises to justify your new domestic transformation.
*! Dr Chan dra Muzaffar's invitation to Dr Lim Teck Ghee to discuss with him can be read here.
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