The Malaysian hunt for a political messiah

May Your Royal Highness continue to speak out boldly on common law jurisdictions and the judiciary on behalf of the common man (and woman) as it has become increasingly common knowledge to many of us that we are being led by a government tragically lacking in common sense.

A proud and loyal son of Perak
Martin Jalleh

The letter writer to Malaysiakini concluded with above in referring to His Royal Highness Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak delivering the opening address at the 14th Malaysian Law Conference.

In recent times, many Malaysians have turned to the Sultans as their hope-for political saviours, forgetting that some of the royalties haven’t been shining examples themselves. But politics in Malaysia has been long in the cesspits that it literally stinks to high heavens.

Not every Sultan is an Azlan Shah with his distinguished law pedigree, his erudite understanding of justice and due process, and his awareness of the democratic institutions. And it has to be acknowledged too his son has been brought up by a fine father. As they say, the acorn doesn’t fall far from the oak tree.

But such is the desperation of Malaysians for a political messiah that they have turned to a sector that had in general not been exemplary paragons of democracy or propriety.

The current infatuation with the royalty is a repeat, a clone, a search for another of the earlier so-called reformasi movement, where then the No 2 man of the hated UMNO on the threshold of becoming No 1 could even present himself successfully as a political reformer.

But many Malaysians were so desperate for change that they offered themselves as willing captives to a man who talked about reforms ONLY AFTER he was expelled from UMNO. Yes, desperation made many of us willing to swallow sh*t.

When questioned why he didn’t speak out while at the very top of the UMNO power echelon, he mumbled words to the effect that he could have been sacked, yes, the so-called champion of reforms was afraid of being sacked from his nice place among the top of the most powerful political party in Malaysia.

I have spoken to friends who admitted that they didn’t trust him but were willing to take a chance with his reform promise. I asked why they should leap from the pan into the fire, and reminded them of Anwar Ibrahim’s performance as a minister in a number of portfolios, particularly as the Education Minister.

And everyone cried that they have no choice other than him. I don’t buy that – we always have a choice. Rome was not built in a day and I believe in:

Little drops of water
Little grains of sand
Make a big ocean
And a mighty land

Anwar Ibrahim is not our political savior, not by a blooming mile.

And so now we turn to royalty, such being our frustration with corruption, chagrin at the non transparency of our government and outrage at the injustice that plagued our land.

If Anwar Ibrahim was the Renaissance Man, then must be the Sultan of Perak, in fact a truer one. He has, through his careful words and his son’s, managed to restore respect for a royalty that had lost respect and was losing relevancy - just as an indication of those depressing times for royalty had been the (long overdue) restoration of honour to the memory of Hang Jebat, the most renown traitor (to royalty) in Malay history. What would the late Tunku have said if he was still alive?

While I have room for a constitutional royalty, I don’t for one that interferes with the political process or seek a role bigger than what the Constitution permits them. Any member of the royalty is always welcome to participate in politics provided they relinquish their official royal position and take their place as a member of the Malaysian rakyat.

I do question those people who have not only been promoting the royalty as an alternative source of political power but also egging the Sultans on to interfere with constitutional provcess.

There’s no political messiah save your personal vote. Make it count rather than indulge in fairy tales of a Prince Perseus come to save Princess Andromeda in the nick of time.