The Rise and Fall of Pakatan Harapan: Human Rights & Climate Reform in Malaysia

By Ross Stevens
December 2020

Malaysia shocked the world in May 2017 by voting out the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition which had governed the country since independence from the United Kingdom. This historic victory by the Pakatan Harapan coalition not only ousted the long-entrenched United Malays National Organisation, but also achieved victory on a platform of addressing corruption, meeting the U.N’s Sustainable Development Goals and reducing carbon emissions by 40%. This sustainability achievement indicated that legal and environmental reforms were soon to come. However, reform has been slow to manifest, and in some cases detrimental legislative practices have continued under the coalition. How did such a promising political development take such a turn?

2017: The Road Ahead

The victory of the Pakatan Harapan coalition under ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad showed signs of promise; outside of possessing a legislative majority, the coalition garnered an impressive 79% approval rate according to research firm Merdeka Centre. The election saw both young people and older traditional B.N voters turn out in support of the opposition.

Indeed, initial moves towards reform were positive; the creation of the Institutional Reforms Committee highlighted several areas for reform, including the infamous “Anti-Fake News Act” which had been used to cover up environmental and political scandals by muffling dissent. Additionally, a moratorium was declared on the use of various security laws, including the Sedition Act, previously used to detain citizens and political opponents under questionable pretences. The signs appeared positive.

Malaysia Flag Unsplash.jpg

The Challenges of Reform: Political Opposition

After only six months however, the government’s reform programme began to falter; strong political objections from opposition parties and from within the coalition prevented the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. According to Chong Lip Teck, this highlighted the fragile ethnic make-up of the coalition, which made establishing a political consensus a long and arduous process which has the potential to hamstring any future reforms.

The performance of the coalition government did not inspire confidence in the general public; their 79% approval rating following the election had plummeted to 39% the following March after barely a year according to CNBC. While there are a variety of reasons for this, it is fair to argue that the prominence of reform within their electoral manifesto and the lack of progress in this regard is partly to blame.

To make matters worse for those hoping for reform, in December 2018 the government lifted the moratorium on several national security laws previously highlighted as problematic for fundamental liberties, citing threats to national security, public order and race relations. 

From Bad to Worse

The diversity of the government coalition continued to undermine the pursuit of meaningful reform, leading to a series of high-profile policy reversals and detrimental amendments. On April 9th, 2019, the government looked to amend the contentious National Security Council Act, rather than appeal it as promised. Human Rights Watch highlighted how the amendment also increased the severity of its powers, including the ability to collect information without limit alongside an increase in possible prison terms.

Within the space of two years, the ground-breaking political coalition that stunned Malaysia found its reform programme grinding to a halt and, in some cases, saw an increasing reliance on problematic, draconian legislation which it had committed to repealing in 2017.

Several significant failures to follow through on its manifesto promises for reform, a worsening economic climate, and a series of by-election defeats all but sealed the coalition’s decline. The resignation of Mahathir Mohamad and a number of MPs from the ruling coalition deprived the government of its majority and, soon afterwards, led to the election of a new coalition government under Muhyiddin Yassin.

What Can We Learn?

Barely 22 months into its rule, Pakatan Harapan was removed from power having failed to address many of its noteworthy manifesto promises regarding human rights and legislative reform. So where did it all go wrong? To provide an honest answer to this question would require a much longer, in-depth article than this. But fundamental lessons can be learnt from the experiences of Pakatan Harapan.

Firstly, it is difficult to gauge the desire for legislative reform based off of the results of the 2017 election; the consequences of the infamous “1MDB” scandal, which saw billions of dollars disappear into accounts associated with Prime Minister Najib Razak and Goldman Sachs, turned many Malays away from the current government.

Secondly, promoting legislative reform that could affect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of ethnic Malays is a very contentious move. UMNO made strides in regaining support from key voter groups by taking advantage of the murky legal implications of Pakatan Harapan’s reforms, which themselves were undermined by coalition infighting.

Finally, despite the success of the Pakatan Harapan coalition in 2017, it is unclear whether a large-enough electoral base exists to carry forth another government based on positive reform. While 2017 was undeniably a watershed moment in Malaysian politics, the use of draconian legislation appears likely to continue into the immediate future.

The growing number ethical and/or sustainable brands available has expanded the range of styles available. Prices tend to range from high street prices upward- think £12-18 minimum for a basic t-shirt, £30-40 and up for trousers and dresses. The prices can be prohibitive, but the clothes are generally made to last and investing in smaller businesses, innovation, ethical trading practices and sustainable materials is a plus. Size inclusivity is improving but still has a way to go.

You May Also Be Interested In: The Erosion of Human Rights Through Chinese Investment in Africa

Return to Human Rights and Wrongs.