KOTA KINABALU: There is a need to implement structural reforms to Malaysia’s democracy to future-proof its democratic institutions, says the Sabah Law Society (SLS) following the never-ending political instability since GE14.

SLS president Roger Chin said in the past months and weeks, Malaysia has experienced the unprecedented twin challenges of Constitutional turmoil and a once-in-a-century pandemic.

The country has also seen the collapse of two government coalitions since GE14 in 2018, with two prime ministers resigning before their terms were up, he said.

“As the dust begins to settle on yet another political upheaval, the time has come to pause and ruminate,” Chin said.

He said lawmakers should amend the Federal Constitution to implement an anti-party-hopping law and have concrete separation of powers between the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General’s Chambers.

He said lawmakers can start implementing the lowering of the voting age to 18 initiative as well.

“But much more than these, scant recognition of the aspirations of Sabah and Sarawak cannot be paid and must also be made part and parcel in these essential raft of reforms including restoring Sabah’s rights over utilities and gas,” he said.

He said restoring the status of Sabah and Sarawak according to the original content of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 should also be made a priority.

Chin said Malaysia has in the past exemplified partisanship, where a political party adheres only to its interests without compromise, characterised by a lack of cooperation between rival political parties.

This often gives rise to the danger of a group pushing its interests to the detriment of the national interest, he said.

Alternatively, non-partisanship is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system (like the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia), in which major opposing political parties find common ground through compromise.

“Some 60 years after the founding of Malaysia and as it enters into the last third of its first century, the time has come for us to put politics aside and consider where we want to head in the future as a democratic jurisdiction,” Chin said.

He fervently hoped that whoever becomes the next prime minister would be able to garner enough support for the much-needed structural changes.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/17/structural-reforms-needed-for-malaysia039s-democracy-says-sabah-law-society