Time to Go Beyond the Old Taboos (Farish Noor)

Over the past weeks since the Rakyat have voted for a stronger Opposition force in Dewan Rakyat (82 Opposition MPs) and handed over 4 State Governments (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor) to Barisan Rakyat (DAP-PAS-PKR), many issues surrounding the choice of leaderships were surronding on the race and religious background of the Parties, Leaders, and Representatvies. While the Rakyat have chose to move towards a "Malaysian-Malaysian" Malaysia through their votes, these recent dramas have shown negative and disappointing scenes.

From the Chief Minister in Penang, to the appointment of Menteri Besar in Perak, and now the Deputy MB and the number of State EXCO in Selangor DUN, the leaders in the Nation are still restraint by the race and religious background of the individuals in the appointments. Instead of performance, talents and ideology, the "kaum" element still supercedes the earlier which are more important in the selection of leaders and representatives.

"We need a new Malaysian politics that would breathe new life and faith in the political system, and where all of us – mainly on the basis of our universal citizenship – can claim to be stakeholders in the nation-building process."

Dr. Farish A. Noor, a renown writer and commentator has recently published an article "CMs, DPMs and PMs: Time to go beyond the old taboos" commented on this matter with great awakening message to the Rakyat and the Leaders. Read the article at http://www.othermalaysia.org/content/view/167/52/. Mandarin version available at Merdeka Review http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=6317.