However, for political leaders and Malaysians who have been striving for more democratic freedoms and political reforms through the peaceful and constitutional process, sometimes with great risk to personal liberties, Gore’s outspoken speech has aroused mixed feelings.
Firstly, there is the feeling that the struggle for democratic change and political reforms is receving international recognition and support, especially as the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993 in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) stressed that the promotion and protection of all human rights is a legitimate concern of the internaitonal community, that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated; and affirmed that democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The Malaysian Government was a party to the Vienna Conference which adopted by consensus the VDPA.
Secondly, there is the feeling of national embarrassment that a foreign leader should be talking about the need for democratic change in Malaysia on our own soil, although he may be stating the truth that the calls for democracy made in many languages, like 'people power,' 'Doi Moi,' 'reformasi' are now being heard in the country - as in the final analysis it is the Malaysians who through their own efforts, energies and sacrifices who must bring about these reforms in the country and not by the intervention of foreign powers.
The Malaysian government should be more sensitive and responsive to the increasing demands of Malaysians for more democratic freedoms and political reforms without having to be told by foreign leaders like American Vice President Al Gore when visiting Malaysia.
In fact, this is the message which DAP leaders have been conveying, both inside and outside Parliament, during the 16-month economic crisis in Malaysia - that in the final analysis, an economic crisis is a political crisis testing the capabilities of the political leadership in government to institute far-reaching political reforms to clean up the system, including cronyism, corruption and nepotism, to restore the people’s confidence.
Malaysians want Mahathir and the Government to respond to their demands for democratic change and political reforms to bring about a Malaysia where there is justice, freedom and democracy, with public confidence in the rule of law and the system of governance, rather than to have another foreign leader to make a similar speech like Gore’s which is something Malaysians would want prefer to avoid.
(17/11/98)