Wong Chen must stick around and deliver
Subang Jaya MP Wong Chen announced yesterday that he will be going to France for a break.
But it's more than a family holiday as he said he is contemplating his future in politics and expressed a deep concern over the slow pace of reforms.
Perhaps he should consider some of the lessons of the French Revolution during which the government collapsed into terror and anarchy when rival factions turned on each other.
Of course, Malaysia's scenario is not remotely comparable to that period of history, when the French Revolution devoured its children.
Nonetheless, we saw the chaos that followed the Sheraton Move of 2020, which was partially rooted in factional strife within Wong's own party.
I would urge Wong to take the time to recharge his battery and come back stronger.
Yes, reforms have been taking their time but a few have been accomplished, many others are in the pipeline, and more can be done further down the road. Don't give up now, when so much hangs in the balance.
Reforms have been achieved through the abolition of the mandatory death penalty, the passage of the Parliamentary Services Bill 2025, the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, and amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010.
Other reforms have been promised in the short term, such as amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, a review of the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009, proposed term limits for the prime minister, and the enactment of laws on urban renewal and freedom of information.
Still more are under review such as separating the powers of the attorney-general and public prosecutor. Maybe even the full abolition of the death penalty.
We have to acknowledge some political realities: the Madani government is an unwieldy multi-party coalition with differing degrees of commitment to reform. That's not an excuse. Just reality.
For example, local council elections might be hard to push through as Pakatan Harapan has a very strong presence in Malaysia's urban centres but many other parties – both within and outside of the coalition – have a vested interest in preventing the return of such polls.
One thing I am sure of: the likes of Wong must not surrender now. Instead, they must redouble their efforts.
Nurul Anna Mausar is a law student and an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
21 minutes ago
- The Star
India road crash kills 18 Hindu pilgrims
NEW DELHI: At least 18 people were killed in eastern India on Tuesday (July 29) after a bus ferrying Hindu pilgrims collided with a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders, officials said. Visuals from the site in Jharkhand state showed the mangled wreckage of the bus, with its rear portion almost entirely burnt. Local lawmaker Nishikant Dubey said the pilgrims were travelling to a Hindu shrine to celebrate the sacred month of Shravan, coinciding with the onset of the monsoons in the subcontinent. '18 devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident,' Dr Dubey said on social media. The pilgrims were carrying holy water from the Ganges to offer to the Hindu god of destruction Lord Shiva. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his 'deepest condolences to the families of the devotees who lost their lives'. 'The road accident in Jharkhand's Deoghar is extremely tragic,' his office said on social media. Tens of thousands of people die in road accidents in India every year, according to official data. More than 172,000 died in road crashes in 2023, transport minister Nitin Gadkari told Parliament. Last November, a bus plunged into a deep Himalayan ravine in the northern state of Uttarakhand, killing at least 36 passengers and injuring several others. - AFP
Malay Mail
21 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Dewan Rakyat passes Cross-Border Insolvency Bill to boost investor confidence
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The enactment of the Cross-Border Insolvency Bill 2025 is expected to support Malaysia's long-term goal of attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) as well as strengthening the nation's economic stability. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in her winding-up speech on the bill, said it reflects Malaysia's commitment to progressive international legal standards. The bill is also expected to enhance Malaysia's position as an investor- and trade-friendly country in line with the challenges and demands of globalisation, she said. 'By recognising standard global principles such as the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency (MLCBI), Malaysia will gain more confidence from foreign investors in terms of the clarity, transparency, and effectiveness of cross-border insolvency dispute resolution. 'This will help investors know what to expect when facing any financial risk, thereby increasing foreign investor confidence to invest and expand their businesses in Malaysia,' she said. The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Cross-Border Insolvency Bill 2025, which aims to establish an effective mechanism for managing cross-border insolvency cases. The bill was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by 11 members of Parliament from both the government and opposition. Earlier, when tabling the bill for its second reading, Azalina said cross-border insolvency in the corporate context refers to insolvency proceedings involving companies experiencing financial distress and unable to repay their debts, with creditors and assets located in more than one country. She explained that the bill promotes formal cooperation between courts and insolvency authorities in Malaysia and other countries, which previously depended only on the principle of comity. 'It provides legal certainty to investors and stakeholders by establishing clear procedures regarding the recognition of foreign proceedings, court access, and the granting of relief. 'This bill supports efforts to rescue viable businesses in line with the recent amendments to the Companies Act 2016, thereby safeguarding investments and people's jobs,' she said. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
26 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Dzulkefly's bid to recuse Apandi's daughter from libel suit dismissed
Dzulkefly Ahmad is suing former prime minister Najib Razak over claims the health minister had practised nepotism by securing the appointment of his daughter, Nurul Iman, to the board of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia. KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court has dismissed health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad's bid to recuse the judicial commissioner currently presiding over his RM5 million libel suit against former prime minister Najib Razak. Judicial Commissioner Arziah Apandi held that the plaintiff had not demonstrated a credible risk of bias arising either from her judicial remarks or her familial connections with former attorney-general Apandi Ali. Earlier, the plaintiff's lawyer Stanley Sabastien Sinnappen submitted that statements made by Arziah during case management on March 7 and April 7 – that the suit would be struck off if no settlement was reached and no notice of withdrawal filed – amounted to a real danger of bias. The parties had, in March, informed the court that they were working towards an amicable solution. Stanley further raised concerns that Arziah being the daughter of Apandi – appointed attorney-general in 2016 during Najib's administration – had created actual bias or reasonable apprehension of bias. Delivering her broad grounds of judgment, Arziah said the plaintiff's contention had no basis. She said the statements made during case management were standard directions aimed at preventing cases from remaining dormant, not expressions of partiality. 'Courts routinely make such directions to prevent cases from remaining dormant indefinitely,' she said. Addressing her relationship with Apandi, Arziah stressed that there was no evidence of any continuing relationship between her father and Najib beyond a brief court appearance as a witness in 2019. She said Apandi ceased to hold the office of attorney-general in 2018 and that any connection he had with the litigation was tenuous and historical. She also said familial relationships alone were insufficient to justify her recusal as it did not create a real danger of bias. 'Familial connections between members of the judiciary and legal professionals are common and do not automatically give rise to bias. 'Children of judges regularly appear before courts without raising concerns,' she said. Arziah dismissed the application with costs which will be decided at the end of the proceedings. Case management is set for Aug 13. Dzulkefly filed the suit in his private capacity on Dec 31, 2021, over Najib's claim that he had practised nepotism by securing the appointment of his daughter, Nurul Iman, to the board of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia two years earlier. In his statement of claim, the Kuala Selangor MP alleged that Najib's Facebook post on Aug 24, 2020, subsequently reported by a Malay daily, had defamed him.
