Say goodbye to religious bigotry and racism

MOST people in Peninsular Malaysia may not have heard of Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak who is now Chief Justice of Malaysia. His appointment to the highest judicial post in the country is a breath of fresh air in our new Malaysia and a good sign that the Pakatan Harapan coalition is fulfilling its promises for change.

Since the birth of Malaysia in 1963, no one from Sabah and Sarawak has been given the post of Chief Justice. Since Pakatan came into power, we have broken a number of records, including having the world’s oldest prime minister, the first woman deputy prime minister and now the first Chief Justice from Sabah.

The Cabinet also comprises both newbies and seasoned politicians, assuring us of proper succession planning. Admittedly, the appointments to the new Cabinet did not meet everyone’s expectations but meritocracy has to be upheld at all times under the flag of keadilan (justice). Only then can we have the best people to run the country.

My take is that if a highly respected man like former Court of Appeal judge, Justice Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, can become Speaker of Parliament, I think we will see reforms in the august house. To voters like me, fulfilling the promises in the election manifesto is important but choosing the right candidate is even more important to safeguard parliamentary democracy.

The new government, whether under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, must keep its promises and give hope to all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

Religious bigotry and racism should no longer be allowed to dominate our political landscape.

NG ENG JOO

Kuala Lumpur