Long Awaited Political Breakthrough - Koon Yew Yin

Koon Yew Yin

Publish date: Sun, 26 Jul 2015, 09:25 PM

Gerakan Harapan Baru, Parti Progresive Islam – whatever name is finally decided for the breakaway group of Pas moderates and progressives – will not matter. What matters is that a new political force is being set up to provide Malaysian Muslims with an alternative to Pas and UMNO in the coming elections.

This move by PAS reformers is possibly the most important development to take place in the country's political system for a long time. Why do I say this?

Well, most Malaysians especially non-Muslims, we have only had a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea since 1957 in terms of Muslim based parties. That is a choice of UMNO or PAS.

UMNO plays racial cum religious politics; PAS plays religious cum racial politics. We had what is referred to as Hobson's choice or in simple English, no choice in choosing the government. This 'take it or leave it' option to voters is finally going to change.

In fact many Malaysians had thought that we were having a new era in politics when the Pakatan Rakyat coalition was set up in 2008 and PAS promised to adhere by the Common Policy Framework in 2010. As a result of the CPF which prioritized socio-economic justice, equality and good governance, the majority of Malaysian voters during the last elections voted for the opposition.

A very large number of voters also voted for PAS members of parliament and assemblymen because we thought that the party was sincere in joining a multiracial coalition whose agenda is not based on religion and who recognized that the answer to the problems of Malaysian society cannot come from religiously applied principles and guidelines.

This was why my friends and I put our faith in Pakatan in Perak during the past 2 elections. I also actively campaigned for Dato Seri Nizar who served as Mentri Besar until the dirty tricks of the BN toppled him and the Pakatan government.

Nizar and the Pakatan coalition had only a brief tenure as the state government. But in that short period, they did wonders in showing the potential of a genuinely multi-racial and multi-religious coalition. Led by a Pas leader, Pakatan served all Perakians with sound, accountable and pro-rakyat based policies which set a new standard for the state and country.

Hudud and PAS's 'Go Stan Balik' New Leadership

When Pakatan was set up, all the parties agreed that the issue of establishing an Islamic state and implementing hudud law was to be put in the back burner. Hudud was never part of the Common Policy Framework. Everybody including PAS leaders knew this. This stand is not simply an effort to reassure non-Malay and non-Muslim voters. It is also not because of disrespect for Muslims and Islamic law.

It is because we are a multi-religious and multi-cultural country. It is common sense that our society can co-exist harmoniously and prosper only if we have our law based on secular principles and practice. This position was arrived at by the framers of the constitution which included two Islamic jurists among the five members of the Reid Commission - Hakim Malik from India and Hakim Halim Abdul Hamid from Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the present batch of newly elected PAS leaders, know little or do not care for the constitution or are ignorant of the constitutional history of the country. They do not see the fundamental need to ensure that religion is best left in the private sphere. They are blind to the fact that religion will cause all kinds of problems if extended into public life. This is true in non-Muslim countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia where attempts by various majorities to implement a religious agenda have brought chaos and disorder.

It is especially true in countries with a majority Muslim population. Suffice it to say that many if not most of the problems of Islamic countries in the world today are because they have allowed religiously oriented politicians to hijack the state and impose their version of the Islamic state.

What The New Islamic Party Should Fight For and Against

For the new Islamic party in Malaysia to make the real breakthrough, this is what they have to do

1 Adhere to the Common Policy Framework and reject a hard line and extremist Islamic ideology

2 Oppose the move to introduce hudud in Kelantan and the federal parliament

3 Declare full support for the Malaysian constitution's position on democratic and human rights and the equality of all citizens, irrespective of race or creed

4 Fight racial and religious extremism and hate wherever it comes from

5 It is not enough for leaders of the new party to say that the party will have a higher purpose than the introduction of hudud. The party wants to create a better life for the people.

If PAS president and ulama leaders want to take their supporters back to the time, practices and dogmas that were found in the Middle East 1400 years ago then the new Islamic party must join Malaysians in saying to them “Good luck, good riddance and good bye!”

What Zaid Ibrahim wrote recently :

Zaid Ibrahim who has been fighting a lone battle against Islamic extremist and for sanity in religious and racial politics has recently written

To my friends Mohamad Sabu, Khalid Samad and others, there are thousands and thousands of Malay Muslims waiting to hear you across the land. They want something refreshing and truthful about the country and its leaders. They are sick of the present politics and they are tired of having been burdened for more than 55 years with the dilemma of choosing either a corrupt bunch of Malay leaders milking the country dry, or a bunch of ulama who do nothing but serve their own political ends.

The people want a real alternative and we must give it to them. Millions of non-Muslim Malaysians join him in wishing the new party well!

Discussions

6 people like this. Showing 27 of 27 comments

Icon8888

Wow, sounds exciting. GHB has my support !!!!

2015-07-26 21:45

AdCool

It's not about the party alone but the fight against the corrupted and distorted institution as well. Just take a look on how Police, MCMC, MACC, BNM and Home Ministry reacted in 1MDB scandal. With that, you know that you are not against the present ruling party alone but the whole government institution which was setup initially to ensure fair, just and neutral enforcement. Unfortunately, this independence has been severely broken by Dr M and now they are party and individual based instead.

2015-07-27 10:48

Icon8888

can non malay join GHB ?

2015-07-27 11:01

speakup

Mr Koon.....Jtiasa can buy now?

2015-07-27 11:04

Tey Tian Foo

So far all seems bright. The PAS which left with only one agenda which is HUDUD, please go to UMNO, which is same/similar with you. GHB need to be multi racial, progressive, anti UMNO, anti corrruption, cronism and nepotism. Unite all the positive force and we are there.

2015-07-27 11:17

Icon8888

doesn't matter if it is a pure Malay party or multi racial. As long as it is not corrupted like Party U, and it is not fundamentalist like Party P, I will support it wholeheartedly. Will give it my vote in elections if it fulfil those requirements

2015-07-27 11:24

thebadguy

While I hope that GHB grows and becomes as influential as PAS I foresee GHB will fail. This is because I think they will have problem with funding. Being much poorer than their counterparts, their campaign and machinery will be weak.

Unless they can secure strong funding, they are destined to fail. It will be interesting if they join forces with one PM's brother.

2015-07-27 11:25

Icon8888

Goodguy, don't worry about money. Uncle Koon is selling Lii Hen, Latitude, Poh Huat, VS, and the remaining Jayatiasa and donate the money to them

2015-07-27 11:31

Icon8888

If they are good, they can put a box in front of their building, every month I will drop some surplus cash into it.

Don't worry about money

2015-07-27 11:34

stevenhong

We already have multiracial PKR, why the need for another Islamic party GHB? Can you gurantee GHB won't implement Hudud?

2015-07-27 11:35

speakup

THE DAY WE STOP SEEING EACH OTHER AS MALAY, CHINESE, INDIAN, KADAZAN, DUSUN, IBAN, ..... IS THE DAY WE TRULY BECOME A NATION

2015-07-27 11:36

speakup

wishful thinking? that's what dreams are all about.....

2015-07-27 11:37

stevenhong

Is pakatan contining racial politic? Why blame BeeEnd for playing racial but now setting racial Islamic party GHB? If pakatan against racial party then why want to work with another Islamic party GHB.

2015-07-27 11:40

stevenhong

Is pakatan for Malaysians? But why you have 3 different party playing on racial line? If pakatan indeed a multiracial party, then why not stand under PKR which is the only multiracial party?

2015-07-27 11:45

Pusher_Punisher

I'm still skeptical about this GHB. Not sure if they can win Malay vote. Maybe can get few seat in mixed malay-chinese area. What worries me if they can't win enough seat will they flip flop to islamist agenda again?

Remember they all 'frogs' from pas. Maybe different looks outside but inside still pas. We shall see.

2015-07-27 11:49

apini

pakatan is for Malaysian of all races, pakatan never a racist but is labelled a racist by the racist umno and the po-lan-pa mca and gerakan chinese to mislead and scare the malay into believing if they take over the government, the malay has no more SP and ground to stand on their own mother land. this tactics had been used for decade to garner malay votes.
is this tactic still work now a day, NO. many rational thinking malay have awaken from this sweet dream, they see rampant corruption, malpractices and injustice both to the malay and the non malay
well said Mr KOON YY, with the emergence of GHB in our country politic, it is indeed a breakthrough for the malay and the non malays that they have long waited for.

in this regard, I fully agree with you and support your view and ready to join GHB for the good of my country

but I won't buy VS at the current price, even though it is hiking everyday, because I believe my sifu KC more than you in this aspect

2015-07-27 14:24

enning22

sorry lah my friend, kc has already been proved wrong,as he only see the past , and not the future,. he has not realised the strong economic recovery in Europe and America, and declining China structural industrial competitiveness.

2015-07-27 14:47

914601117

Ever wonder why pre-Zeti area, Bank Negara was quite independent whereby most corrupted monies were brought out of this country in CASH !!! "case : former Selangor MB : M.Muhammads Taib being caught RM 3.8m in 1996"..However, ever since Zeti became Central Bank Governor since 2000, BN has "kaodim" Bank Negara and billions of illicit money flow out of this country since then. Every general election, $$ were gone missing (e.g. Mega project, stupid compensation, PKFZ, 1MDB etc) plus cronies funding (BN's glc)... Ever wonder why government debts have shot sky high and yet we are still developing country and the Ringgit's value keep on dropping? Well, BN is too powerful and control the Police, Laws, Education, Bank Negara, MACC, etc and they can do whatever they want. This is no democracy

2015-07-27 14:55

CFTrader

914601117 , Now our government controls everything. Do this sound "communism" for you ? hahahahaha...

A voter to be here, putting big hopes for Malaysia to reach "golden age" again....

2015-07-27 17:56

ruslimz

In US sometimes democrat, other time republican.....democrat....republican......In malaysia sometimes BN, other times BN...BN...BN....sebab itu corrupt . Try pula BN...PR....BN...PR...but almost impossble if you want to change a goverment in a corrupt system......senarai pengundi pun dia boleh tipu......

2015-07-27 18:21

ruslimz

MALAYSIA BOLLEEEHHHHH...tipu rakyat.......

2015-07-27 18:26

stockraider

If Pakatan want to win....they need to garner at least 40% of the rural malay support loh.....!!

Don't forget....now this will be diluted by PAS, who is outside of Pakatan when election come loh....!!

2015-07-27 18:28

ruslimz

BR1M ada lohh......how to garner 40% from rural malay maa....This year budget with extra money from GST he can increase BR1M some more what !!!!!

2015-07-27 18:35

Wikiileaks

Wtf? Totally ignorance

2015-07-27 23:20

914601117

And about BERSIH, i guess this NGO has been "kaodim" by UMNO. Their progress is disappointing and no achievement so far. BERSIH suppose to check on the Election Commission's hanky panky and the bank accounts of few heads family in EC. Why Opposition is depending on BERSIH for free & fair election?

2015-07-28 11:55

Hercules

Mr Koon thanks to openly discuss on white politics! Malaysia need more ppl like you!

2015-07-28 21:38

lextcs

with his links to the brotherhood and shia isis brethren ? how senile could mr koon gets

2015-07-28 22:32

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