DAPSY Johor calls for opposition unity and constitutional refroms

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Call for opposition unity to forge a new way of political struggle and to bring about democratic constitutional reforms to the country

Policy Speech
- at the year 2003 DAPSY Johor State Convention
by Dr Boo Cheng Hau

(Yong Peng, Sunday): I would like to welcome and thank the presence of DAPSY National Chairman Nga Khor Meng/National Secretary Anthony Loke, all other NEC members, Johor State Committee Members, Johor State DAPSY Executive Council Members, all delegates, observers and reporters. This is the first time in many years
that Johor DAPSY has called an State convention since the last revival meeting held at Gunung Ledang in 2001.

For the past two years, Johor DAPSY has taken its own initiative to strengthen its organization and forge a force in shaping certain public opinions in Johor. Besides carrying out numerous social activities in an attempt to be close with the masses, the Johor DAPSY has succeeded in setting up 6 divisions in the past two years with a clear plan to widen its base of grassroots organization. It must be reminded that grassroots organization is vital to any political struggle, and no political party would last long without a wide base of grassroots support.

Albeit our organization strength is small in number, no castle is ever built in a day, in upcoming years the Johor DAPSY would expand its influence to all corners of Johor State by setting up divisions in all Parliamentary Constituencies in Johor if possible and continue to fight for the rights of all Johoreans in line with our national and international inspirations.

Non-political and social activities are the best way of conveying our policy messages to the public, gone were the days when political slogans drew public attention. A reform in our daily approach to be close to the people and in our own internal organization strength will be the only way to substantiate the DAP and DAPSY's political struggles for social democracy. The spread of political message of social democracy is our utmost important task.

Three main pillars of party machinery must be emphasized , i.e. members' political education, organization, and publicity. In upcoming years, the Johor DAPSY would have to train more comrades through political education in
order to instil a good grasp of social democracy and propagate the political ideals.

Johor DAPSY's   policies towards public matters

In response to local and state public issues, the Johor DAPSY has taken stands in line with the concept of social democracy in issues regarding education, economy, culture, voters registration, national service, and so on. Nonetheless, it is to be reminded that the bread and butter issues would still be most appealing for the people's support not only in Malaysia but also other parts of the world.

Firstly, the recent 30% increase of water tariffs approved by the Johor State Government has impinged on the concept of economic democracy where water as a daily necessity should not be commercialised for the benefit of a few; it has to be shared as a common asset of all people as a part of the economic democracy, i.e. sharing of wealth. Other issues pertaining to the people's welfare in general such as the lowest ever EPF dividend rate, lack
of well rounded health schemes, increasing unaffordable prices for basic utilities are issues related to privatisation policies pursued by the Barisan Nasional government in contrary to socialisation and democratisation of economy as being pursued by the Johor DAPSY, DAPSY Malaysia, DAP Malaysia and Socialist International .

Secondly, keeping a close watch on the operations of non-elected local governments is our key task in making inroads into local communities. It has to be emphasised that the abolition of local governments elections has made
Malaysia undemocratic as it is meant to cut off legitimate avenues by which the opposition parties could rise to power gradually and democratically. It is within our struggle for constitutional reforms to re-instil local governments election. Our role is to work at the ground level by posing ourselves as a better and more efficient alternative to local governments, then to State government and finally national government. It must be emphasised to the public that no local elections is as good as no democracy at all. Youths as hopes and inspirations for the future generations should be inspired to make constitutional reforms possible.

Thirdly, education has to be democratised and diversified by providing the youths with free and competent education up to the highest level, and everyone is given a variety of choices of education that is suitable to his
or her cultural, linguistic, and religious and social needs. State and elected local governments should be given more power in tailoring education in accordance with the local needs. This is empowerment of the people with their education rights by giving the autonomy of formulating education policies back to the people than a top to bottom approach in formulating education policies that could only be made possible with a constitutional reform. The Federal Government would provide grants and guidelines for education to the state and local governments.

Fourthly, free market economy is to serve the benefits of the youth and the people; the process of economic democratisation is to bring about economic empowerment of the youth and the people instead of enslaving the cheaper labour provided by the youth for the economic monopoly of a few. The only effective way to achieve that is to realize a information intensive society and a K-economy by democratising and "deracialising"   education and jobs training for the youths. The failure of Yayasan Pelajaran Johor in providing Johor youths with competent education and vocational training is a reflection of State Government's failure to perceive that all forms of media of instruction are need to draw students from all cultural backgrounds to participate in the programs. Education being tailored in line with cultural diversities and various social needs would be   a goal in pursuit for education democratisation by the Johor DAPSY.

Fifthly, racism in the governmental institutions is a threat to true democracy. Deracialisation, as part of democratisation, of economy, education, society and especially governmental institutions is the very first step needed to integrate our people of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. The racial quotas and "meritocracy" of divided standards in the local universities has further worsened racism that has been practiced in the governmental institutions. They have polarised our youths rather than having integrated and united them to the extent that the proposed National Service would not be able to mend the polarization already caused by the Barisan Nasional government. Racism and the divide and rule policies a la apartheid propagated by the Barisan Nasional Government are the number one enemy to national unity. Therefore, the DAPSY stands for social democracy that strives for a non-racial society where the citizens are required to fulfil equal duties, responsibilities and obligations to their country, their rights should be equal regardless of their race and origin.

Johor DAPSY's inspiration of national politics

The Johor DAPSY is not an isolated political entity from the national and international politics. The Johor DAPSY is inspired to contribute to the national and international political development. Nonetheless, the Johor DAPSY calls upon all opposition parties for unity and look for an effective way to lead the country for democracy. Besides armed revolts, street demonstrations and fighting for people's rights in the legislatures, the opposition parties have to find a fourth and effective way to bring about democracy, a new social contract and constitutional reforms to the country.

There is no democracy if mass participation in political process cannot be ensured. Accordingly there are two million eligible citizens who have not registered as voters. This shows that a substantial number of our people have actually lost faith in our pseudo-parliamentary democracy. Therefore it needs constitutional reforms, not only electoral law reforms to restore democracy in our country. These constitutional reforms should include the following features:

The State must be ensured to be ideologically neutral without declaring any single ideology to be supreme;

Lowering of majority age to 18 years of age with full voting rights;

Automatic voters registration by the age of 18 years when one has to renew his identification cards; a simple link up between the National Registration Department and The Elections Commission will decrease the cost of voters registration;

Making voters registration and voting mandatory as being practiced by Northern European countries;

Direct election of executive heads including Prime Minister and State Chief Ministers,

Legislature of proportional representation with additional constituency based representation;

Restoration of local governments election including election for District and Land Officer;

Making sponsoring mother tongue education and special education for the needy a compulsory task for the Governments;

Creation of a non-racial society where the citizens are required to fulfil equal duties, responsibilities and obligations to their country, their rights should be equal regardless of their race and origin;

Decentralising the power to preside over education and health to the state and local governments;

Abolition of law impinging on basic human rights but incorporating Human Rights Conventions into the Constitution to avoid governmental manipulations of basic human rights;

Inclusion of more official languages besides Bahasa Melayu in order to create a Rainbow Nation as in post-apartheid South Africa;

Constitutional assurance of a non-racial society where the citizens are required to fulfil equal duties, responsibilities and obligations to their country, their rights should be equal regardless of their race and origin.

DAPSY has to reform our own organization, political thinking and image, and to nurture with actual actions a democratic political culture within the DAPSY and the DAP before we can convince others about the more noble ideal of constitutional reforms. The DAPSY cannot rely on slogans regarding political reforms but remains conservative in actual action. We must accept the fact that democratic reforms and conservatism cannot co-exist side by side. We have to realize our ideals with great courage and even being misunderstood in our course of struggle, and we have to move on to try new ways to materialize democratic reforms in the country.

(24/8/2003)

* Dr. Boo Cheng Hau, DAPSY Johore Chairman