Ambiga: Take heed of the people’s call for reforms

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan must be sensitive to the signals that the people are sending them through the by-elections, says activist and lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (pic).

In urging the ruling coalition to speed up key reforms it promised before taking Putrajaya, Ambiga said that Pakatan must take heed that its biggest supporters were “losing heart”.

She said that although the by-election results were not necessarily reflective of what would happen in the next general election, Pakatan must still deliver on the reforms it promised before winning GE14.

“The U-turns are frustrating to the people. This is a government who promised to repeal repressive laws and the implementation of oversight in relation to enforcement agencies.

“That is the right thing to do if we are to be elevated to a more just society, ” Ambiga, who is the former president of National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president, said yesterday.

Should Pakatan continue to delay implementing key reforms it promised before GE14 in May 2018, Ambiga said civil society should be back on the streets to push for this.“As to the reforms, yes, I believe civil society must move again after June if the government prevaricates, ” she said.

“Because while they take their time amending oppressive laws, people continue to suffer under them.”

Ambiga, who is also former Bersih chairperson, believed that the people had to demonstrate to the government their frustrations at the weaknesses Pakatan showed in relation to delivering reforms.

“That is not what we fought so hard for, ” she said.

Ambiga has been a staunch campaigner in urging Pakatan to deliver its promises including repealing draconian laws such as the Sedition Act and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, and setting up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

She said the government could not keep succumbing to pressure as this undermined their own credibility and described this as one of the problems that Pakatan was facing.

“Of course, those who have benefited from the status quo will resist but who said governing was easy?

“It shows the true mettle of a government when despite the pressure, they do what is right for the people, ” she said.

Ambiga said that while Pakatan, which inherited a corrupt system that needed cleaning up had made many good changes, time might be running out for the coalition.

“It has been nearly two years and the window for reform appears to be closing.

“Also, if this government does not implement reforms, who will?

“Pakatan must take heed that their biggest supporters are losing heart, ” she said.