The decision has been made for all Pakatan Harapan candidates in Peninsular Malaysia to contest under the common symbol of PH component party, Parti KeADILan Rakyat. The leaders of the DAP, PKR, Amanah and PPBM have decided to come together as one to show that this coalition is no marriage of convenience but a serious one that will bring the fight to the now irredeemable Barisan Nasional.
Though all PH component parties have equal pride in their own identities and symbols. The step to sacrifice individual pride for the common aim of dethroning the BN is one that is a move in the right direction. Seeing that the ROS is dragging its feet in the registration of the Pakatan Harapan coalition as a legal entity, the BN thought they had PH all figured out, expecting that none of the PH component parties would ever sacrifice their proud individual symbols for a common one among the existing parties. Well, the BN had it wrong.
The BN is now totally irredeemable as long as their grip on federal power is not broken. The only way for our long sought after two-party system to establish itself in Malaysia is to send the BN into the opposition. Anyone out there who thinks the BN can reform itself from within should know that the BN is not about individuals or leaders but the entire system that is rotten from top to bottom. Only a stint in the opposition can force the BN to reform itself as their continuous uninterrupted rule has allowed walls of resistance to strengthen against any idealistic leader who wishes to change the system from within.
There is no other option, the BN must go and the PH is the only entity strong enough to bring them down. The BN often say that we are unable to be a united coalition like they are but no one wants to be in a coalition where one party calls the shots and the others obey. We need parties that truly respect one another to properly represent Malaysians. BN is not a coalition, it is a kleptocratic monster that has mutated beyond any recognition of the original coalition that gained us our independence.
Political evolution is unstoppable. All countries that once had kleptocratic regimes eventually become thriving democracies once a two-party system is established. They then become a multiparty democracies as more parties enter the race with equal chances of power but they must start with a two-party system. Right now, the political map is either Pakatan Harapan or Barisan Nasional and their cash fueled satellite parties hoping to tear the opposition votes apart to allow the BN to retain power. Vote PH for a thriving democratic future or vote the BN for a continuous kleptocratic one party police state.
The choice is yours!
Chris Lee Chun Kit is a City Councillor in the City Council of Penang Island representing the DAP.