By Jentayu Editorial team
“You can’t be neutral on a moving train,” …that events are already moving in certain deadly directions, and to be neutral means to accept that.”
― Howard Zinn, You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times
The #PauseMalaysia campaign has caused much commotion on national media and social media, particularly on Twitter. Many have spoken out in support of it and many are critical of the move, calling for mass action instead. The campaign has three demands: a ceasefire between all political parties, no further elections until the Covid-19 pandemic is over, and all political forces to come together to improve the welfare of the Malaysian people.
What makes this particularly glaring is that this call is happening at the same time as our neighbours are carrying out heroic acts of struggle. Thailand’s student movement is continuing to protest the current political order in the face of a military junta. The Indonesian labour movement is experiencing brutal repression at the hands of the police as they bravely protest legislation that would undermine the rights of workers. All this happening in the midst of an ongoing pandemic.
#PauseMalaysia stems from a deep distrust of politicians, and rightly so. From the start of the pandemic and Muhyiddin’s coup, our politicians, especially those of the ruling PN coalition, have engaged in non-stop power plays while ignoring the needs of working people. What the people need is wage protections, stable jobs, better welfare, rent freezes and more healthcare capacity.
Instead, our politicians have whipped up racism and xenophobia to win by-elections, and harassed and arrested activists and migrant workers. They have acted as if they are above the law, facing no consequences for breaking health rules that would have landed an ordinary person in jail. After refusing to allow Sabahans to vote safely by mail in the by-election, the irresponsible behaviour of politicians on the campaign trail has resulted in a second outbreak on the Peninsula.
We think it is a missed opportunity that #PauseMalaysia does not make any such concrete demands. The people understand that there can be no real “political ceasefire”. There are real disagreements between PN, PH and other parties that will not be resolved by agreement. Corruption, backroom deals, bad policies and double standards would continue. The past eight months have shown that the only way we will get the ruling government to “improve our welfare” is to pressure and challenge them.
We must present good working-class demands that can unite Malaysians against this racist and anti-poor government. Material demands that tackle the immediate problems faced by ordinary people. Malaysia cannot continue in the old way. The people need a vision of a fairer society to fight for, as our friends in Thailand and Indonesia understand.
We know there are many progressive activists in MUDA who know this, and we expect better of them. We cannot #PauseMalaysia. We must help the people mobilise, to force the government to act. MUDA can join and help to lead this struggle, but it must have a clear idea of how real change can be won.