PETALING JAYA, July 20 — The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance party (Muda) unveiled today a bold manifesto that among others called for the trimming of executive powers from the hands of the menteris besar and the executive councillors, likely a criticism of the way states are currently governed even by political parties that claim to fight for progressive politics.
Its president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said one of the top agenda of the party’s manifesto for the August 12 state polls will be enhancing public participation in policy-making and the decentralisation of power — beginning with the beefing up of the state legislature’s check-and-balance power.
“Among the first things [we want] is the reduction of centralised power. This centralised power means most major policy decisions are made by the menteri besar and the excos,” he at the launch of the party’s manifesto here.
Muda said it wants a system whereby “major” policy decisions would be put to a vote, instead of the current practice where the menteri besar and the state executive councillors have the power to make executive calls on key development projects.
“Muda would like to propose that all major decisions, regardless if it’s about PJD Link or the degazettement of forest reserves, be returned to the state legislature assembly to be debated, concluded and voted for, and not just decided by a small group of political elites,” he added.
An official from the Selangor menteri besar's office has denied the allegation made by Muda.
Muda, a nascent party with far inferior resources compared to those that form the two mainstream political blocs, will field eight candidates in the polls to decide who gets to govern Selangor, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Negeri Sembilan.
In apparent frustration, Syed Saddiq said the call to stand against both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional was a consequence of the former's dilly-dally in deciding on Muda's application to formally join the coalition.
At the 15th general election, Muda saw itself as an ideological ally of the PKR-DAP-Amanah alliance but after PH formed the federal government with the corruption-tainted Barisan Nasional, the party felt it had been sidelined. Ties between the two appeared to have soured further after Muda leaders became critical of some of PH's policies, which they claimed reneged many of the coalition's reform pledges.
Muda's election manifesto appears to be an extension of that criticism. Dubbed the "New Politics Manifesto", the party has vowed to keep fighting for democratic reforms that were once the pillars of PH's campaign, but arguably with more conviction and consistency.
The party plans to revive the campaign to reinstate local council elections and proposed a state-level political funding law to curb lobbying.
"Muda understands that this falls under federal jurisdiction," Syed Saddiq said about the party's plan to reinstate the third vote.
"That is why at the state level Muda will begin a pilot project that would develop a way for this to happen."
Muda also pledged to rein in overt development and environmental degradation, two deep problems that have seeded discontent in all states, including Selangor where the main ruling party PKR has been accused of reneging on its repeated promise to protect the state's forests in favour of building things.
Some of the worst floods in the state have been blamed on deforestation and politicians' obsession with pump-priming as the main economic growth driver. In Selangor and Penang, the PH-controlled state government continues to be criticised for greenlighting major infrastructure projects often at the expense of displacing cultures and local communities.
"Muda will prioritise balancing important development and environmental protection. We're saying this because the environment is the people's treasure. It's like having gold at your feet," said Syed Saddiq.
Other key pledges in Muda's manifesto are ending political appointments in all state enterprises and agencies including local governments, another reform pledge that PH once campaigned for but failed to implement in all the states it governed.
The party is also proposing the compulsory public declaration of assets by all elected representatives.
"The fight against corruption has to start at the local level," Syed Saddiq said.
