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Pak Lah should continue the fight to do more for a better Malaysia. Nothing comes easy and on a platter. The more responsible and active the opposition is the better to keep the govt on its toes and to fight abuse including corruption. We need more checks and balances to improve our quality of life and good governance!
Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob is a trained lawyer and Malaysian political commentator. He writes for numerous international newspapers and online journals as well as hosts Face to Face, an interview segment of Malaysian/regional issues and personalities hosted on Malaysia Today. He also serves as Foreign Correspondent for foreign news organisations. Ramon Navaratnam, prominent political economist and chairman of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), Center of Public Policy Studies. He is also president of Transparency International (Malaysia). With over forty years of experience in government and now in the private sector-driven by relentless empathy with the less fortunate, he shares his forthright perspectives with Face to Face on the dawn of a new Malaysia. 
1. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Should Abdullah Badawi resign? Will he be able to hang on to power under the circumstances? Ramon Navaratnam: Why should Pak Lah resign? Is this the norm in well-developed democracies? He still has a strong majority even if it's not a two-thirds majority. But why should we hang on to the outdated notion that a government must have a 2/3 majority for stability? Pak Lah must in fact be highly credited for his more open style of government that has enriched our democracy. I hope he stays on to do much more for the country's progress. 2. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Abdullah Badawi says that he will continue the fight. Realistically, can he deliver the goods now with increased opposition presence in both state and parliamentary legislatures? Ramon Navaratna: Pak Lah should continue the fight to do more for a better Malaysia. Nothing comes easy and on a platter. The more responsible and active the opposition is the better to keep the govt on its toes and to fight abuse including corruption. We need more checks and balances to improve our quality of life and good governance! 3. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: A number of Umno top level members have apparently voiced their support for our beleaguered PM. Many believe that this is just ‘wayang kulit’. Comment? Ramon Navaratnam: Politics all over the world indulge in some wayang kulit - don't you think about it. As long as the PM can deliver a better life to all Malaysians regardless of race, he will enjoy majority support. 4. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Assuming, Abdullah Badawi keeps to his job; do you anticipate any further impetus in the momentum to get PM to relinquish his post? Ramon Navaratnam: It all depends on how much he delivers and how fast he does it .If BN has learnt the lessons from the elections and the message from the people of all races , especially the majority Malays , he will do well - and the pressure on him to fade away will diminish. But he must do more good faster. 5. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Kedah was a devastating blow. Umno bastion in the Malay heartland. Many there are livid with the present political scenario. Can PAS make a difference there? Ramon Navaratnam: Yes, why not. PAS has some good leaders with no political baggage like abuses and corruption. PAS has the opportunity to show that it can lead with fairness and equity to all especially in terms of religious understanding of all Malaysians . They have been made out to be parochial and even extremist before by the mass media . Now let them prove themselves and the people will watch their performance and make their judgements in 4 years time again . 6. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Many fear that the loosely-knit opposition parties may not be able to deliver their promises, or that eventually the deuce-ace of DAP-PAS-Keadilan will collapse over ideological and religious world-view differences. What do you think? Ramon Navaratnam: Don't be unduly pessimistic . Whatever happens the press cynics want to cast some gloom. Lets see as we do for other democracies and have an open mind. Don't prejudge with prejudice. The great issue is that we have a more lively and active democracy in Malaysia today than we have ever had. History will give Pak Lah more credit for this than he gets today for being more liberal. Most Malaysians have also become more race neutral in terms of elections. The best candidates won and the voters showed their growing maturity. We are going through exciting times in Malaysia and most of us are encouraged by the developments although many may be reluctant to express ourselves openly. 7. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: This election was against the popular belief that race was an issue. In fact, all races were united on many issues with Muslim-Malays voting DAP and Malaysian Chinese voting PAS as well as mixed races voting for Keadilan- in some parts. Will this phenomena or spirit transcend say for example the anticipated practical abolition of parts of the NEP by Keadilan for example in Selangor? Ramon Navaratnam: I don't think there is a desire to abolish the NEP as such. What is meant is to eradicate the abuses of the NEP. Who wouldn't want to get rid of abuses that have discredited the NEP? 8. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Do you foresee a crippling witch-hunt from hereon end by all sides of the divide? Ramon Navaratnam: Please give Malaysia some credit . Is this what happens in some countries you know? 9. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: The business communities’ confidence is eroded. The KLCI’s plunge/downgrade of blue chip stocks may just be the beginning. How bad is it really? Ramon Navaratnam: This is a normal phenomenon when there is such a major swing but the volatile sock market will return to its normal trends as in all countries. We should be alarmist . 10. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: The world economy, in particular the recession in the U.S. will certainly have an effect on Malaysia. Published reports point to the fact that 2009 will be a harder-hit year for Malaysia. What’s your assessment? Ramon Navaratnam: Yes we are a major trading partner - 18th in the world. So we will be affected . But not adversely as we have more and more diversification and decoupling going on with the west. Their collapse won't affect us as badly as in the past. 11. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: What’s your greatest concern for Malaysia in light of this new political scenario? Ramon Navaratnam: The opposition must learn to govern in some states and to exercise their opposition role with greater responsibility since they are now quite formidable. The govt too will have to learn how to deal with this powerful opposition. There has to be a more healthy and mutual respect for each other. Then the Malaysian democracy can develop for us all to be proud of its progress. 12. Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob: Any message for Malaysians? Ramon Navaratnam: Please give the new winds of change a chance (it's the title of one of my books too). We all must monitor the performance of all political parties carefully and make sure we continue to vote wisely for leaders who will look after our long term prospects for national unity, peace and prosperity, please! May God bless our Malaysia! Face to Face interviews are conducted by way of e-mail unless otherwise stated.
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