Tread carefully into the future

THE one undeniable conclusion that can be drawn from the 14th General Election (GE14) is that democracy is alive, well and maturing in Malaysia. Despite allegations of bias in the various election machinery, the opposition coalition managed, for the first time in Malaysia’s history, to garner sufficient votes and parliamentary seats to set up a federal government.

Democracy, however, is a multi-faceted creature and travels with an entourage. Among others, the doctrine of separation of powers, the rule of law, meritocracy and personal freedoms accompany democracy. It will be a significant challenge for the incoming ruling coalition to accommodate these travelling companions while not jeopardising the fragile balance among the multiracial, multireligious and multicultural masses which form the Malaysian people.