36. Crossovers not illegal

Malaysia First

by Brian Yap, The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia isn"t accustomed to power transitions. Despite being a nation for 51 or 45 years, there have been few major changes of leadership. In total, the country has only had five prime ministers, all of whom have come from the same political party. The current administration itself is filled with personalities from the previous government.

The manner in which prime ministers are appointed has been an unwritten rule. The president of Umno is the president of the Barisan Nasional is the prime minister. The selection of the Umno president is made by the party's members every three years that is, if there is a contest for the top leadership in the first place, which has been very rare in the party"s history, thanks to the near-impossible task of challenging the top two positions. Why else is Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi still prime minister if he really is as unpopular as he appears to be?

In other words, this upcoming change in prime minister that seems both inevitable and impossible at the same time is really no more undemocratic than whatever system Malaysia has practised thus far. Arguably, if he has support from the majority of MPs, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has even more of a mandate to be PM on Sept 16 than Datuk Seri Najib Razak does in 2010, which is when he will assume power according to a transitional plan agreed to by him and Abdullah.

It"s also important to note that the BN has little authority to question the morality of defections. For one, the coalition has had little reservations when the situation was reversed. Most recently, for example, Umno leaders even offered its archrival Pas leadership positions in the Selangor state government if the party would abandon its allies PKR and DAP.

Critics from the ruling coalition calling Pakatan Rakyat's move to form the federal government as undemocratic also choose to ignore the myriad anti-democratic measures and positions the government has taken. The historical results of March 8 would have been even more historical if polls were held in a fairer manner. The mainstream media was unashamedly biased, the EC was largely impartial, and government machinery and funds were reportedly used for partisan purposes. If the elections were truly free and fair, Pakatan would have won outright, Anwar argues. It's hard to disagree.

But two wrongs, it"s been said, don"t make a right. Which is why it's important to know this: In many democracies, it's not unusual for politicians or political parties to switch their allegiances, even after being elected. It has happened here before, and it happens regularly elsewhere too.

The Communist Party of India, for instance, left the coalition it formed with the major Congress Party in India recently after disagreements over a nuclear deal with the US. In Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N also pulled out of the country's governing coalition recently. In the US, Senator Joe Lieberman has been a candidate against his own Democratic party, and spoke at the recent Republican national convention despite being a former vice-presidential nominee of the former.

There are many reasons why an elected official might switch parties. Some do it when they no longer agree with their party or its leaders. Some might feel that their constituents would be better served by a different party. The trouble, however, is that many are simply bought over by material goods or positions.

In other words, motivation is central to the dilemma facing Malaysians today. Why exactly are these MPs jumping from one side to another? And even if the motivation is noble, doubts will linger and questions remain. As will the concerns of those who see party hopping as unethical and unhealthy for our burgeoning democracy.

A government formed by defections is certainly less than ideal. With such a precedent in place, future governments are more likely to fall or rise in a similar manner. Anwar and Pakatan are taking a risk by giving the BN an opening to wrest the government in the future through similar means.

But while it is unprecedented, imperfect and potentially problematic, a takeover by Pakatan Rakyat through crossovers is not illegal nor blatantly unethical as some have portrayed it. And right now, Malaysia's desire for change and reform is strong enough to make any concerns or reservations less important than the possibility of new leadership in the country.