Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, president of Parti KeADILan Rakyat and the designated Leader of the Opposition for the incoming 12th Parliament unveiled her 5 point agenda for the next Parliamentary session (see Malaysiakini and full statement at KeADILan) :
- The Economy
Malaysia’s economy must be safeguarded to ensure maximum growth, investor friendliness and equitable distribution for all Malaysians. By continuing to speak out against corruption and wastage, we will continue to help guide Malaysia to a more robust, poverty-free economy.- Harmony
We must continue to build genuine harmony from Malaysia’s rich diversity. While we will ensure that the position of the Malays will not be threatened, the rights and access to equal opportunities of Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans and all Malaysians will be fully protected with equal vigour.- The Judiciary
We must move towards rebuilding the tarnished integrity of our judiciary. Judicial institutions that can be relied upon to deliver judgements without fear or favour are a cornerstone without which a democracy cannot function properly.- Media
Malaysia’s media must be given the freedom to report freely and fairly. Any government of the day, at state or federal level, must be subject to unbiased scrutiny to ensure that there are no abuses of power.- Human Rights
We will continue to uphold human dignity and human rights. Laws that deprive Malaysians of their fundamental liberties must be abolished, and Malaysians still detained without trial must be charged or released immediately, including newly elected Kota Alam Shah State Assemblyman M. Manoharan and the other four prisoners of conscience currently held in Kamunting.
Wan Azizah (or Kak Wan as we call her) may seem a quiet and unassuming lady to some (and there are those who have questioned her credentials and ability to act as the Leader of the Opposition) but we have to remember that this is one towering Malaysian who is currently serving her third term in Parliament and has been an unflinching pillar of strength for many, holding together a disparate (and sometimes mutually antagonistic) group of disgruntleds and activists and honing them into a cohesive political force that has survived ignominy and persecution for many years.
Her activities both in Parliament and in the constituency may have been blacklisted and kept out of the mainstream media and since the release of her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, downplayed even by the party's own communication machinery, but she is one tenacious person and is able to hold her own ground. This was made especially clear to me in the 11th Parliament when she was the sole torch bearer for KeADILan in a very hostile (and gender biased) house.
This, among other reasons would be why I'd not want to see her resign from the seat come April 15th, so that Anwar Ibrahim can compete. She should be allowed to complete her term. In fact, I personally believe that she should be allowed to complete her term as Leader of the Opposition as well. If not for anything else, we owe her at least that much.
Thank you Kak Wan for keeping the flame burning.
If you liked this post, consider buying me some coffee. Suggested price is $1.00 for a cup and $10.00 for a 1 lbs bag (personally I am a big fan of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe).
Categories: 12th General Elections
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Comments (1)
myop101 said:
Dear Bob K,
Agreed! Over the years, she has proven her mettle as a leader of an opposition party and now, her party has won significantly to prove to some minister that PKR is not "parti kurang relevan".
I do hope she will stay on and leave a very strong mark for the good of this nation.
Posted on March 27, 2008 8:40 AM