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DAP decides on 16th August whether to remain or leave the Unity Government.

For years, Anwar Ibrahim asked Malaysians to believe that when Pakatan Harapan finally reached Putrajaya, the country would witness institutional reform, accountability, good governance and an end to the political culture they had condemned for decades.

Expectations of PH were high because they were built upon almost 20 years of promises made to the rakyat.

If DAP ultimately decides to leave because meaningful reforms cannot be delivered, it should not simply surrender its ministerial positions and walk away. After more than three years at the very heart of government, DAP owes the rakyat a full and honest explanation of what happened to Anwar’s reform agenda.

Which reforms did DAP push for?

Which were rejected, delayed, watered down or abandoned?

What stood in their way?

Were reforms frustrated by political resistance, competing interests or other parties within the Unity Government?

And if compromises had to be made to preserve the stability of the Unity Government, DAP should explain what those compromises were and why they became necessary.

This is not about blaming DAP for the failure of Reformasi. It is about asking DAP, as a major party that has been in government and in the Cabinet, to tell Malaysians the truth.

There is an even bigger question that cannot be avoided.

Anwar Ibrahim built his political struggle around Reformasi. For more than two decades, Malaysians marched, sacrificed, voted and stood with him because they believed that if he ever became Prime Minister, the reforms he championed would finally become reality.

And what has become of the promised Reformasi beyond Anwar repeatedly shouting “sakau”? Where is the real institutional change:

a. Azam Baki remained and had his term extended on 2 occasions at the helm of the MACC.

b. Bloggers, social media commentators, student activists and human rights defenders continue to face investigations, questioning and enforcement action for what they say online. In contrast, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act continues to cast a chilling effect over freedom of expression. Once condemned when PH was in opposition, it cannot suddenly become acceptable simply because PH is now in power.

c. Independence of the judiciary which is the last bastion of justice has not escaped serious questions under this government.Anwar's elevation of his former Attorney-General, Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh, directly to the Federal Court, followed by his appointment to the Judicial Appointments Commission despite the presence of more senior Federal Court judges, and allegations that Terriyuddin interfered in the judiciary have fueled legitimate public concern over the transparency and independence of judicial appointments and whether Anwar was inclined to appoint “his men” at the judiciary.

d. The Government Procurement Act 2025, promoted, instead of a major anti-corruption reform, retained extensive powers in Ministers to approve procurements and grant exemptions, leaving billions in public expenditure exposed to political discretion rather than genuinely independent scrutiny, thus raising questions about whether Anwar tacitly promotes “sakau” within the system.

e. The politics of racial fear, religious intolerance and communal division continue to poison our national discourse dangerously, while politicians and extremists repeatedly exploit race and religion for political advantage. Anwar himself has a hand in this race and religious hatred when he failed to handle various issuesdilegently.

f. No serious, practical or sustained effort to formulate and implement long-term socio-economic plans addressing the entrenched disadvantages and unique poverty faced by Malaysia’s minority Indian and Orang Asli communities.

g. Deaths in custody and mysterious shootings of suspects continue to haunt the nation. The Durian Tunggal police shooting where an audio recording indicates those 3 men were shot dead point blank, with one victim heard begging for his life before being shot dead;

h. Justice for Teoh Beng Hock remains unresolved 17 years later with no action against those responsible;

i. Customs tribunal officer was found dead, with neck and legs bound by cable ties at the Finance Ministry building, yet the police classified it as sudden death and ruled out foul play;

j. Pamela Ling disappeared in broad daylight while reportedly on her way to the MACC HQ and remains missing.

k. Where are the reforms that make the MACC, enforcement agencies and GLCs truly accountable to the rakyat?

l. Instead, ordinary Malaysians and businesses are burdened with measures such as e-Invoicing while fundamental questions of public expenditure and accountability remain.

These were not impossible reforms requiring a revolution. Many required only political will, legislation, transparency and the courage to use the enormous power already entrusted to this government.

So, DAP must tell Malaysians whether Reformasi was blocked by others within the Unity Government, compromised to preserve Anwar’s power, or abandoned once power was secured?

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

President

Malaysian Advancement Party

11th August 2026

BN dan PN tidak seharusnya memandang remeh kepentingan politik di sebalik permohonan maaf Anwar Ibrahim. Hakikat bahawa permohonan maaf itu dibuat hanya tiga hari sebelum Pilihan Raya Negeri Negeri Sembilan merupakan satu pengakuan tersirat bahawa kempen MAP yang berterusan, konsisten dan tanpa kompromi selama lebih setahun telah berjaya mengubah sentimen pengundi India secara menyeluruh, sekali gus memaksa Anwar berundur daripada pendirian politiknya.

Ia juga merupakan pengakuan yang jelas bahawa sokongan masyarakat India terhadap Pakatan Harapan semakin terhakis. Pengundi India hari ini jauh lebih matang, lebih bijak menilai dan lebih bebas dalam membuat keputusan politik berbanding sedekad yang lalu. Mereka tidak lagi bersedia menerima kebergantungan berterusan BN dan PN kepada pemimpin-pemimpin India yang lemah, sekadar pelengkap politik, serta tidak mempunyai legitimasi akar umbi mahupun keberanian untuk memperjuangkan kepentingan sah masyarakat India. Sebaliknya, mereka kini mencari pemimpin yang berprinsip, berwibawa, berani dan mempunyai rekod perjuangan yang terbukti dalam mempertahankan hak serta kepentingan masyarakat.

Akibat politik yang sedang dihadapi oleh Anwar hari ini adalah kesan langsung daripada keengganannya menerima Agenda RMK-13 MAP yang komprehensif bagi mentransformasikan ekonomi masyarakat India.

Sekiranya BN dan PN benar-benar serius untuk meraih sokongan pengundi India, mereka mesti mula bekerjasama dengan MAP sekarang—bukan beberapa minggu sebelum hari pengundian—supaya kerja-kerja akar umbi dapat dilaksanakan secukupnya di kerusi-kerusi marginal yang menjadi penentu sebelum GE16.

Sekurang-kurangnya lima bulan kempen akar umbi MAP yang tersusun dan bersasar sebelum GE16 mampu menghasilkan perubahan besar dalam sokongan pengundi India, sekali gus menjadikan sekurang-kurangnya 20 daripada 39 kerusi Parlimen yang kini dipegang oleh PKR dan Amanah sebagaiprospek kemenangan sebenar.

Kerusi-kerusi tersebut berpotensi menentukan parti atau gabungan yang akan membentuk Kerajaan Persekutuan yang seterusnya. Setelah lebih dua dekad memimpin perjuangan masyarakat India di peringkat nasional, saya yakin penyertaanlangsung saya dalam GE16, bersama-sama strategi akar umbi MAP yang tersusun dan bersepadu, mampu menjadi faktor penentu dalam menyatukan serta mengukuhkan sokongan pengundi India di kerusi-kerusi campuran tersebut. Mana-mana gabungan politik yang gagal memahami perubahan landskap politik ini berisiko mengulangi kesilapan yang sama sehingga membawa Pakatan Harapan ke kedudukan yang dihadapinyahari ini.

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

31.7.2026

BN and PN should not dismiss the political significance of Anwar's apology. Coming just three days before the Negeri Sembilan election, it is a tacit acknowledgement that MAP's sustained and uncompromising campaign had fundamentally altered Indian voter sentiment, forcing Anwar into political retreat.

It is a clear acknowledgement that Indian voter sentiment is moving away from Pakatan Harapan. Indian voters today are far more mature, discerning and independent than they were a decade ago. They are no longer prepared to accept BN's and PN's continued reliance on weak, token Indian leaders who lack both grassroots legitimacy and the courage to champion the community's interests. They are looking for principled leaders with credibility, courage and a proven record of consistently defending the interests of the community.

If BN and PN are serious about winning these voters, they must engage with MAP now—not weeks before polling day—so that sufficient groundwork can be undertaken in the key marginal constituencies before GE16.

A minimum of five months of targeted MAP grassroots campaigning before GE16 could produce a decisive swing in Indian voter support, transforming at least 20 of the 39 PKR and Amanah-held parliamentary seats into genuine battleground constituencies.

Those constituencies may well determine who forms the next Federal Government. Having led national Indian issues for more than two decades through Hindraf and now MAP, I believe my direct participation in GE16, together with a coordinated grassroots strategy, could become a decisive factor in consolidating the Indian vote in these mixed constituencies. Any coalition that ignores this changing political landscape risks repeating the very mistakes that have brought Pakatan Harapan to its present predicament.

REFORMASI NEEDED NO REVOLUTION — ANWAR FINALLY HAD THE POWER, BUT REFORMASI DIED IN HIS HANDS!

BN dan PN tidak seharusnya memandang remeh kepentingan politik di sebalik permohonan maaf Anwar Ibrahim

MAP’s role in Anwar’s apology

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