COMMENT | Can Malaysia have meaningful coalitions?

“A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.” 

– Winston Churchill

COMMENT | DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said this recently: “The day for meaningful coalition politics in Malaysia has come, and political parties must learn to co-operate with one another for the good of the nation – not for personal and political party self-aggrandisement but on the principles of justice, freedom, fair play, well-being for all Malaysians so that Malaysia can be a world-class great nation and avoid the traps of kleptocracy, kakistocracy and a failed state.”

I believe most Malaysians want this but the problem has always been that ideas such as “justice, freedom, fair play, well-being for all Malaysians” has never really been the goal of any political party.

In a way, this should make cooperation between race-based parties and multi-racial parties easier, but it does not because both sides have been demonising each other for decades.

Honestly, when two political parties – DAP and Umno – who have a sizable share of votes and representation, cannot find the middle ground, you know that this country is in trouble.

Remember the flak Anthony Loke received when he dared wonder if such a deal was possible. He said: "More people are saying that one way out (of our political crisis) is for Umno and DAP to come to the same table. But this needs political courage and will from both...