MALAYSIANS have always been known for our civility and respect. As other supposedly mature democracies like the United States, France and Britain degenerate respectively into angry partisans violently speaking past each other, gilets jaunes (yellow vests) demonstrations, and Brexit polarisation, we should take care that we do not ourselves become a similar manifestation of an uncivil society.
Plus ça change, as the French would say; the more things change, the more they stay the same. The “political temperature” of Malaysia is always rising, no matter when it’s taken. After a year of the Pakatan Harapan government, too many insignificant issues have been unnecessarily politicised. Instead of being an effective opposition focused on the true and large challenges facing Malaysia, they have found an easy (and therefore tempting) way to score cheap points and play to the populist gallery. This is unfortunate; the component parties of the former Barisan Nasional can do so much better, and should.
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