Azalina’s resignation as Deputy Speaker of Parliament opens the way for far-reaching parliamentary reforms where a Deputy Speaker comes from the Opposition

The resignation of Azalina Othman Said as Parliamentary Deputy Speaker opens the way for far-reaching parliamentary reforms where a Deputy Speaker comes from the Opposition.

But this must be part of major parliamentary and institutional reforms which the new Prime Minister must commit himself to carry out.

There are many things which the new Prime Minister must commit himself to do – in particular a “whole-of society” strategy and approach to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is why the new Prime Minister must be open to criticisms and suggestions, like those from the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) over the dropping of general practitioners (GPs) from the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP); the acceleration of the national vaccination roll-out in the states outside the Klang Valley; the resumption of supplementary food programme for school-children and a new policy to end the high Covid-19 death rates and to protect lives and livelihoods.

The political crisis facing the country can only be resolved by all parties returning to the bedrock principles of nation-building laid down by the Malaysian Constitution and Rukun Negara – constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy, the doctrine of separation of powers, the rule of law, upholding good governance and human rights.

We must return to normality before we can embark on the next stage of national endeavour – to fulfil Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman’s aspiration to be “a beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world”.

But before we can “a beacon of light” to the world, we must achieve the status of a world-class great nation and not be in the trajectory of a failed state.

This is the challenge facing the new Prime Minister.