Cabinet  tomorrow should demonstrate that it is not a dinosaur-like  outfit and address important and  fundamental issues of the country, including disciplining two deputy ministers, Khalid Yunus and Sulaiman Mohamad

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): The “Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia” gathering of the Malay Action Front at the WTC yesterday is generally regarded as a political aberration and looked askance by most Malaysians, but there were a few suggestions made by the political has-beens and also-rans who spoke  which could  find resonance among the general public -  one of which is the call for a  full clean-up of the Cabinet to restore the people’s trust.

The Cabinet tomorrow should demonstrate that it is not a dinosaur-like outfit and capable of addressing  important and fundamental issues facing the country, including the following issues:

1.  Take disciplinary action against the two deputy ministers, Datuk Khalid Yunus (information) and Datuk Sulaiman Mohamad (health)  for attending the “Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia” gathering, not because the speakers openly flayed Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and UMNO leaders (which are party matters of no concern to the Cabinet)  but taking part in a public meeting which was  inflammatory, provocative and insensitive of Malaysia’s multi-racial characteristics as illustrated by:
 

• the seditious and incendiary posters and banners summoning Malays to attend the gathering using a design suggestive of a drawn kris in a sea of blood and which was the subject of nation-wide protests in the form of police reports in various parts of the country by different political parties, NGOs and Malaysians regardless of race, religion or gender; and
• highly communal and inflammatory speeches made at the gathering which threaten the delicate fabric of Malaysia’s multiracial society, like  the speech by  Mazlan Harun denouncing  "Chinese extremists", claiming "They put a pistol at the head of Datuk Mahathir. Can we stand by and watch without doing anything?" with the crowd responding:  "Throw them out!"
• Both deputy ministers making irresponsible and provocative speeches, with Khalid Yunus, crying "Our Malay  pride is under challenge. They have spat on our face. Can we still continue smiling? We will have to defend our pride with the keris (dagger) if necessary and we will take this rally from state to state." and Sulaiman Mohamad’s “Today we see the evidence of fracturing within the Malay  race. I beg you, my brethren, to rise and strengthen  the political supremacy of the Malay race."

2.  There had been too much irresponsible communal politicking in the 14 months after the 1999 general elections, and the Cabinet should send out a clear message to  halt the escalation of the recommunalisation of Malaysian politics with all Cabinet Ministers, whether UMNO, MCA, MIC or Gerakan, setting a role model as a Malaysian first and Malay, Chinese or Indian second or be sacked from the Cabinet.
 
3.  Cabinet  should declare its full backing for the new  Chief Justice of the Federal Court,  Tan Sri Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah in his mission to restore   public and international confidence in the judiciary and "to  bring back the judiciary to its past glories" and establish a Commission of Inquiry on the changes  which could be initiated by the Executive  to support  such judicial reforms to restore confidence in the judiciary, including a new judicial appointment mechanism involving a thorough-going process of consultation involving judges, practising and academic lawyers, and knowledgeable lay persons on all appointments to the  various judicial offices.
 
4.  Resolve the SJK © Damansara relocation dispute by overruling the Education Minister, Tan Sri Musa Mohamad and adopting the "3-Win"  formula of "one-school, two premises" or two schools, resulting in an additional Chinese primary school in the Klang Valley meeting the wishes not only of all the parents of the 1,400 students  of Damansara school but also the parents in the Klang Valley with the building of the new school in Tropicana while retaining the original school in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.
 
5.  Recognise the  Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC) for entry into local universities as first step to prepare for Eighth Malaysia Plan to transform Malaysia into a K (knowledge-based) economy with a three-point “brain gain”  strategy to attract  the best brains regardless of race and nationality from  at home and abroad, viz:
 

• to hire the best brains regardless of race and nationality, from Bangalore to California;
• to encourage skilled Malaysians working overseas to return home; and
• to stop any brain drain and  keep the best  talents at home.