KINTSUGI AS THE SOLUTION FOR OUR CURRENT POLITICAL IMPASSE

 By Ameen Hussaini

Our country now in a political crisis again. As the parliament session approaching, TS Muhyiddin has presented to YDPA to declare for emergency to give him wider political power to battle covid 19. This proposal comes amid speculation that the government budget might not get approval because of his government razor-thin majority. What more, more than dozen mp has submit a motion of no confidence against him. So the perception is, the emergency is not about covid-19, but for his own political survival. 

 

Many prominent leaders have warned TS Muhyiddin of the grave consequences of declaring emergency. One of them is Tengku Razaleigh who warn about economics consequences as it will put the final nail to our battered economy. More leader who still have sense has voice out the same. This incudes umno Perak who said emergency will include force majeure-all contract will not be fulfill/not necessarily be fulfill. This will create instability and the investor will lose confidence or move out from our country. The same sentiment shared by Anwar Ibrahim, Tun M, umno deputy president Mat Hassan and Hamid Albar from BERSATU. All of them has urged the government consider all aspect before to proceed with emergency. What more, our cases are still low compare to our neighboring country that reach hundred of thousands. Some of the expert has given opinion that the prevention and control of infections diseases is enough to control the pandemic.  TS Rafidah Aziz sarcastically said, using emergency is like throwing a bomb at the mouse. With all this opinion, we can say, emergency is like a last resort solution. What more, we don’t see riot, demonstration in the streets, or people lootings to find food. So, the justification to declare emergency is not genuine and seem as a political move to save TS Muhyiddin position. In a simple equation, if he really commands the majority, why is he avoiding the vote of no confidence? According to Ku Li, this has put him in a questionable position to seek an emergency declaration from YDPA if he has lost the majority. Therefore, in a recent poll done by IDE, 77% of Malaysian reject the call for emergency and seems it as unnecessary.

 

But, Is there any other solution than emergency? Husam Musa is a recent interview has used the term kintsugi- a Japanese method of gold joinery to fix a broken bowl as a solution to our political crisis. The broken bowl is not thrown away. Rather it can be fix with a kintsugi method by joining the broken pieces with gold powder. It is an art to fix a broken thing. By joining the pieces, the bowl becomes more valuable and more beautiful. In other words, we acknowledge the scars/the broke as it has happen used the method to create more valuable things.  Taking this into analogy, our political system seems to be broken. In this time of crisis the new PM(if elected) should approach all political parties to form a unity government. This will avoid politicking as all the parties come as a nation. This call has been made by former prime minister Tun M, early in February to involve all political parties in the new government. Sadly, his call has been reject by opposition parties as they are afraid that the pm will be too powerful. 

 

Looking abroad, maybe can learn something from Argentina. The newly elected president Alberto Fernadez, amid political and economic crisis has called all political parties to come out as a nation to solve the grave crisis of their country. If they can put their political differences and put their nation interest first, why can’t we? So, as the YDPA and the Malay ruler is having a meeting now, we put our trust in them to consider all option and make a wise decision.