Hoping against hope for a Pakatan Harapan and Malaysia Baru revival

Can hope survive in a rough conditions?

I really would like to see rays of hope amidst the gloom!

There's a much quoted saying that it's the hope that kills you.  And while I'm still alive after going on an emotional rollercoaster over the course of a week that has to have been one of the craziest ever in Malaysian politics, it's also true that my heart feels so very broken and my faith in the future of the country of my birth very much put to the test.

For a good part of yesterday, hope actually had returned to me that the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) government that fell after its head, Mahathir bin Mohamed, inexplicably tendered his resignation as prime minister on Monday would be restored to power after he made a u-turn and agreed to return as Pakatan Harapan's head along with the country's prime minister.  But just when my hope was at its highest in days that Malaysia had been pulled back from the brink came the shock announcement that the Yang Dipertuan Agung (i.e., Malaysia's King) had decided to appoint Muhyiddin Yassin as Malaysia's eighth prime minister!  

In view of the many twists and turns that this crazy saga has had, there truly was a part of me that still was hoping against hope that the 72-year-old pancreatic cancer patient would not get sworn into this prime political position at the appointed time of 10.30am today.  Sadly, however, that did not turn out to be the case -- despite the objections of many Malaysians, including a whole host of individuals who were officially Muhyiddin's allies until just a week ago, or even less.        

Quite apart from how terrible it is that political shenanigans (including betrayals, unimaginable amounts of horse-trading and mindboggling flip-flops) and a 94-year-old's hissy fit have led us to this, the repercussions are absolutely horrifying.  The new government is a coalition of corrupt politicians, Malay nationalists (racists) and Muslim fundamentalists.  

So, basically, it's a slap in a face to, and knife in the back of, people who are for a multicultural, multi-ethnic, more socially liberal, more just and less corrupt Malaysia -- a Malaysia Baru, if you will.  People who apparently include a certain Anwar Ibrahim (who, for a good many years back in the 20th century, had been looked upon as the doyen and icon of Islamic fundamentalism in Malaysia) along with a lot more ethnic Malays than I think often is supposed. 

These political regressions are bad enough on their own but what's made worse is that it's happening at a time when the world is on the brink, if not already very much in the middle, of a major pandemic. This week has seen the Wuhan coronavirus spread to all of the world's continents (bar for Antarctica); with the USA, Australia and Thailand reporting their first Wuhan coronavirus deaths this very weekend.  

And while Malaysia's number of infections remain on the low side (especially when compared to the likes of South Korea (3,736), Italy (1,128) and Iran (978) as well as Mainland China (close to 80,000 reported cases)), it's worth noting that it's reported having four new cases this Sunday, a day -- and week -- when the country has been without a health minister (along with any other minister bar for acting prime minister) thanks to the destructive political shenanigans that have been taking place.  

Ironically, over the past week, I've come across lots of praise for the Pakatan Harapan government's health minister, Dr Dzukefly Ahmad; with a number of people going so far as to describe him as among -- if not -- the best the country has ever had.  Strange but true: it makes me sad but also is heartening to read the laudatory tributes that have been heaped on a number of Pakatan Harapan cabinet ministers; this especially since the likes of Yeo Bee Yin, Gobind Singh Deo, Anthony Loke, Wan Azizah and Hannah Yeoh have also been serving rather than betraying their leaders, colleagues and the rakyat.  

Now if only there will come a time in the near future when they will be in government again.  And yes, I know that it's the hope, not despair, that destroys but, well, if I didn't feel any hope, what a truly terrible outlook, life and world we would have, right?  (And yes, I still am hoping that good will prevail in Hong Kong too; this even while it also not having been a good week for its pro-democracy movement, with still more tear gas and pepper spray being fired, and arrests taking place last night.)