'Malavsian-Style Democracy Dead’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32253, 23 March 1970, Page 21

'Malavsian-Style Democracy Dead’

(By t BRIAN GOMEZ of the Associated Press. through i N.Z.P.A.) KUALA LUMPUR, March 20. Malaysian-style democracy, largely an inheritance from the former British rulers, has been “dead” for 10 months. Hopes for restoration of Parliamentary democracy have recently been raised, giving rise to the visit of the Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) to the East Malaysian Borneo state of Sarawak

j where he assessed when suspended elections could be I completed. Elections in Sabah and ■ Sarawak were suspended after i Malaysia’s worst racial crisis past May, centred mainly in I Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian I capital. Completion of elections in the two States was a prerequisite to reconvening of Parliament which in theory represents the will of the people. There has been no suggestion that Parliament, however. will be recalled immediately once the elections are; held. One thing has been clear in recent months. Malaysian democracy will never be the same again. ! For one thing. Parliament! will have to contend with a new law banning discussion of race and language issues. According to the Home Affairs Minister (Mr Ismail bin Abdul Rahman), architect of the newly proposed laws, they would disallow private or public discussions that could in-

- cite either the “public or in- 1.1 i dividuals.” I. I It was Mr Ismail 10 months I ago, in a reform after resign- , • ing from public office because > of illness, who declared that i i democracy in this country was i dead. It was also Mr Ismail’s , firm and authoritiative pos- 1 i ture that largely helped Mai- j ■ aysia regain some normality, j Mr Ismail was recalled,into i • the National Operations ] . Council, which under the ■ directorship of the Deputy i • Prime Minister (Tun Abdul ] ■ Razak) assumed all powers i ! for the emergency situation l created out of the large-scale 1 ■ clashes between Malays and i i; Chinese. i > The opposition party leader 1 ; Professor Syed Hussain Alati tas, president of the Gerakan 1 lißaayat Malaysia (Malaysian I [ Peoples’ Movement), has i . appealed to the N.O.C. to 1 5 consult Opposition parties ; i before making drastic I > changes in law. Once this is i ■ done, he pointed out, it 1 . would only be a formality ;

! to obtain Parliamentary approval when the body meets again, especially since Tunku Rahman’s Alliance Party is the majority party. In the reflective mood that ensued from the May riots the N.O.C. created two highpowered bodies—the capital investments committee (C.1.C.) and a department for National unity. According to Government thinking, the C.I.C. would push for a faster rate of economic growth, simultaneously trying to wipe out disproportionate earnings between the more prosperous Chinese and the largely rural-bound Malays. The Department for National Unity, on the other hand, would work toward unity of the nation's 10 million Malays, Chinese, Indians and others and also ensure that Government policies in no way indirectly created racial animosity, especially among the Malays.