KOTA KINABALU – In the run-up to the upcoming general election, six civil society groups have jointly issued a clarion call to the country’s politicians to stop talking about their parties and give due focus on the people’s needs and problems.
Thus far, their initiative called the People’s Agenda has been endorsed by 53 civil society and public interest groups.
“The idea is that instead of talking about political tents, the People’s Agenda will be a starting point for the politicians to start talking about the people’s needs,” said Anil Netto, president of Aliran, a human rights non-governmental organisation.
We want politicians and parties who not only fight to go to Putrajaya, but those who can commit to the People’s Agenda.”
“The People’s Agenda will be a starting point for this; we want this to kick-start conversations about issues that many people should be concerned about.”
Aliran is one of the six co-sponsors of the agenda’s drive. The others are Pacos Trust from Sabah, Pergerakan Tenaga Akademi Malaysia (Gerak), Save Rivers from Sarawak, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Undi18.
Acknowledging the mood of frustration, fatigue and despair in the country, the People’s Agenda also urges the Malaysian people to not give up but to fight back through the ballot box.
It remains open for endorsement by other civil society groups until the general election so that it reaches a wider audience.
Anil was speaking at a press conference attended by the six groups via Zoom last Monday.
The groups highlighted the following five points for both voters and candidates to consider as part of the People’s Agenda in the general election:
- Uphold the dignity and quality of life of the people;
- Promote equitable, sustainable development and address the climate crisis;
- Celebrate diversity and inclusivity;
- Save democracy and uphold the rule of law; and
- Fight corruption and cronyism.
According to Anil, voters are strongly encouraged to come forward despite past disappointments, and vote for candidates and parties who have shown commitment to the five points.
“Political parties and candidates should work together on these five points at the general election and avoid multi-cornered fights for the sake of the nation,” he said.
The People’s Agenda will be having webinars from May to July to elaborate on the five points, and political leaders from various parties will be invited for audiences to gauge their perspectives.
Gerak’s executive council member Ngo Sheau Shi called on all contending politicians in the 15th general election to commit to eliminating all forms of discrimination and exploitation.
She said that future political leaders need to be inclusive when designing their objectives and addressing inequality in society, particularly among the least privileged in the community.
In the upcoming general election, we want the government to be scientifically, technically, and morally capable of building a resilient policy across our diverse community, and to eliminate discrimination in terms of gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, ability, and location.
“We want to call on all Malaysians to support political candidates and parties that are able to put forward an executable vision with an equitable pragmatic election manifesto,” she said.
Meanwhile, Anne Lasimbang, executive director of Pacos Trust, said the government needs to provide a good quality of life to the people, especially to the indigenous community in Sabah.
She said the issue is not only about money but also about the environment, including access to water, electricity and healthcare.
She also said the People’s Agenda should also highlight the problem of lack of housing in urban areas, access to quality education in rural areas, and the need to provide quality childcare services for women who are participating in growing the economy.
Peter Kallang, chairman and founder of Save Rivers, a Sarawakian organisation that empowers rural communities to protect their land and rivers, spoke on the need to promote sustainable development and tackle the climate crisis.
Sevan Doraisamy, executive director of human rights group Suaram, touched on the importance of upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Finally, Tharma Pillai, co-founder of Undi18, which has been lobbying for youngsters to be involved in the electoral process, stressed that the fight against corruption and cronyism must be prioritised as well.
“The youth must be an anti-corruption generation. It is not enough that we just accept corruption as a culture. We must push against the normalisation and enculturation of corruption,” he said.
The session was moderated by Gerak chairman Zaharom Nain. – The Vibes, April 28, 2022
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