With Our Eyes Open And Our Fist Clenched, We Will Face 2010
2009 ended with a slide. Malaysia recorded a historical 56 position in the corruption index’s, its worst performance. And to prove the point, we had 2 gigantic aircraft engine disappearing from one of the most secure places in the country – the Sungai Besi air base. Now it is increasingly becoming difficult to spot which is the worst corruption case – PKFZ, the disappearing engines, the disappearing people, VK Lingam and list goes on.
The last week also saw yet another bas accident claiming ten lives and it tells us a lot about our enforcement, our commitment to cherish life. This incident is not in isolation, not to mention the deaths of school children from a newly constructed hanging bridge in Kampar. And what about death in custody – the death of Kugan and the death of Teoh Beng Hock. Will those responsible will ever be prosecute.
Last year, we also saw how the BN cannot tolerate opposition control in some states. We saw how Najib led coup grabbed democracy in Perak. Now Najib has said that he wants Selangor. BN with its controlled media, police troopers, MACC and EC looks set to further create instability in the remaining state under Pakatan control. The unreformed Malaysian police continue to attack freedom of assemble and freedom of expression.
2009 also saw the change of guard in BN. Like all previous new Prime Ministers, Najib Tun Razak who came to power this year had new slogans, new goals (KPIs) and new reforms. He talks about 1Malaysia, he wants to hand out citizenship and says he is against racism. In his backyard, the UMNO boys continue to instigate racial tensions. The severed cow’s head protest is one instance. The UMNO media arm- UTUSAN continue to create hatred among the races.
Najib continues what he calls reforms and that people come first. One of the biggest reform- The ISA will remain with amendments because all parties according to Hishamuddin wanted the ISA to stay. IT seems Hishamuddin did not reflect well on the 1st. August rally when more than 40 thousands people came to the streets to call for the repeal of the ISA while ten people gathered to support it. Other reforms continue to be in the laughing stock like The Lingam no case issue and this once against puts our judiciary in question and the so called judicial reform which the PM is talking about.
What did we expect from Najib. Old wine served in a new mug. Capitalism strives under Najib when more neo-liberal policies are introduced. The GST is yet another capitalist solution to rob from the poor and give it to the rich. Najib though has given an impression that his policies are people’s first yet these policies are right wing policies to protect the interest of capital. Najib has further reduced corporate tax, introduce further neo-liberal initiatives, opened the marker more, promote health tourism and moving to introduce GST.
In the International front, we see how the Copenhagen climate summit ended with a sham, we saw how massacre took place in Sri Lanka, we saw US continues leadership in the
war in Afganistan and supporting the coup in Honduras. The economic crisis and the climate crisis proves that capitalism is taking the world no-where. It is time for change. As Hugo Chavez said in Copenhagen recently , “… the only possible and viable alternative is socialism.:let’s change the system! And consequently we will begin to save the planet. Capitalism is a destructive development model that is putting an end to life; it threatens to put a definitive end to the human species.
PSM looks at 2010 with its eyes open and its fist clenched. 2010 appears to be a challenging year. It seems that UMNO will continue to find ways to destabilize the 4 states still in Opposition hands, it seems that the courts will play a critical role in many up-coming cases – Anwar’s sodomy trial, Teoh Beng Hock’s case, selective corruption cases and much more, it looks like the police would continue to intimidate opposition and civil rights leaders and Parliament will bulldoze the GST bill.
In spite of these obstacles, the Socialist Party of Malaysia(PSM) is still optimistic about the mass movement of the people who have shown that they can raise to the occasion . The people have voiced their opposition against corruption, against racism, against the ISA and against the power grab in Perak. But it will be a mistake if Pakatan Rakyat takes this support for granted. It is only through radicalizing of ideas can the masses move from an economic mindset to a political mindset. PSM calls for active participation of the rakyat in the affairs which affects them. It is only through confrontation and dialectics do society move forward. PSM calls upon popular participation of the people in bringing about the change they want.
For 2010, PSM would wage war on several fronts. PSM is resolute in mobilizing the people, the working class, the urban poor and the farmers on the following.
1. We plan to organize mass opposition against the GST which will enrich the rich and punish the poor. We call for a huge protest and demonstration at Parliament House in March 2010- when the Parliament reopens. We will work with all parties especially the Trade Unions and other political parties in opposing the GST.
2. The continues rape of our health system and the whoring of our health system to health tourism will further plunder the public health care system. PSM plans to reactivate the coalition against privatization of health care to renew a new war against the neoliberal policies of Najib. Najib who wanted to privatize IJN, is now planning to convert more private wings in Government hospitals while creating favorable conditions for foreigners to seek treatment here. This will create a massive shortage of specialist in Government hospitals and is an imminent act of damaging the public health system. PSM will recommit its struggle in saving the public health care.
3. We will continue to work with other forces in GMI (Abolish ISA movement) to make the final push for the repeal of this draconian law. It is now clear that the Government will amend the ISA without repealing it. We will oppose all detention without trial laws and put these laws behind bars by the end of the coming year.
4. We will work with the civil society groups in calling for the restoring of the local government election. We will call upon Pakatan Rakyat to adhere to the wishes of the people while conducting our own campaign.
5. As an immediate measure, we call upon the Government and the Central Bank Negara to replace the roles played by Along and give easy immediate loans to the poor. The Government and Bank Negara must show more commitment in resolving the problems of the people rather than seeking ways to bail out the rich.
Besides these campaigns, we will continue to strengthen and empowers the local level committees in the work place, estates, urban poor settlement and other strategic places to built their own power base from below to safeguard their interest as well as build a class based movement to seek a better deal for the majority of the people.
On the International front, PSM will work with socialist parties in South East Asia to fight neo-liberalism while working towards building broader left forces Internationally to fight against capitalism which breeds poverty, inequality and environment destruction. We stand together with the spirit of the people and the socialist movement in Latin America and other parts of the world in fighting capitalism and building socialism.
PSM will work hard and promote that a better world is only possible through socialism. Capitalism has brought much destruction to the economy and to the very existence of the planet earth itself. We have faith in the people and will work hard to make this a better place for all of us.
With our eyes open and our fist clenched, we will face 2010.
S.Arutchelvan
Secretary General
(Tel- 019-2537791)
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