This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 22, 2018 - October 28, 2018

A disclaimer is in order here. This article is not a report card on or a key performance indicator for the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) opposition. Be they the leaders, ordinary members or its members of parliament and state assemblies.

Nor is this article written based on findings of surveys or detailed studies. It is merely based on random observations and media reports, in particular, during the first three days of the current parliament meeting — before Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tabled the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan last Thursday.

On Oct 15 — the day parliament commenced the meeting — The Malaysian Insight news portal ran a story under the headline “Umno-led opposition ready to check Pakatan Harapan (PH) after false start”.

The “false start” apparently refers to the chaos when the opposition — which had been the ruling coalition for 61 years — made its debut in the new parliament, the first under the PH government, on July 16.

We can still recall the chaotic situation caused by the walkouts by MPs of BN and PAS. The tension was somewhat diffused the next day when Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V told the House to sila duduk dan jangan lari (please be seated and don’t run) before delivering his opening address. This tickled the parliamentarians from both sides of the political divide.

On to The Malaysian Insight news report. It said “after having regrouped over the break, the Umno-led opposition returns to parliament better with a shadow cabinet ready to take on Pakatan Harapan”.

BN had announced the formation of a shadow cabinet last month using the portfolio committee system. Incidentally, this is the first time Malaysia has a shadow cabinet.

Umno/BN’s readiness to check PH is always welcomed by many, including the government MPs. After all, in a working democracy, apart from having a good government, a strong and effective opposition is needed to provide the checks and balances.

Against such a backdrop and expectation, the opposition stepped into parliament last Monday, taking part in the proceedings calmly. Like during the debate on the amendments to the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974. The bill was later passed by the Dewan Rakyat.

All tame and calm stuff as far as the first day of the meeting goes. Providing the “sparks”, if it can be called that — a little bit, anyway — was former foreign minister and MP for Kimanis Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, who took offence at Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah’s announcement that the government is setting a new approach to the country’s foreign policy. To Anifah, that meant that Malaysia never had a foreign policy before PH came into power.

Vocal Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who is never shy of controversy, made a lot of sense when he urged PH to move beyond blaming the previous administration for the ills and the current state of affairs of the country.

Tajuddin was, however, should I say, agitated, when Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali told the House that FELDA’s financial problems were “inherited from the BN government”. Tajuddin instead attributed FELDA’s problems to “bad management”.

But Padang Terap MP Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid preferred to go on the offensive, saying that the government’s cancellation of China-linked mega projects was counterproductive and has caused Beijing to react by importing palm oil from Indonesia instead. He added that the cancellation of the projects would affect the country’s economy.

As for Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, who is in the shadow cabinet (in charge of finance), the issue to highlight was Putrajaya’s plan to sign unratified UN human rights conventions. He said the move would affect bumiputeras’ special privileges. Citing the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as an example, he said it bars signatories from enforcing “positive discrimination” policies after the goals for which they were implemented were met. However, Article 153 of the Federal Constitution clearly spells out the special status given to bumiputeras.

He went on to ask: “Are you saying that Article 153, which clearly gives special status to one group of people, must have a time limit? I’m not saying that I agree or disagree, but do we realise the implication [of ratifying this convention] on our policies?”

What do you readers make out of this? Logical? Relevant to the country? Or relevant for Umno’s political survival, to say the very least, because there is an element of “Malayness” in the remarks? And is Khairy also saying the provision in Article 153 is discriminatory?

Away from the Dewan Rakyat and by sheer coincidence, I would say, former Federal Territories Umno Youth head Razlan Rafii issued a statement on Oct 16 claiming that DAP’s rebuke against its members for receiving state honours is “proof the party is against the Malay rulers”.

This is not to say Razlan’s statement and Khairy’s remarks in parliament are along similar lines, but race has always been and will remain a big, relevant issue for Umno.

Back to the Dewan Rakyat. Former prime minister and Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not participate in the first day’s proceedings although he was present. And he did not attend parliament on the second day. To be fair, he had a good reason for staying away — he had been summoned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission yet again.

Still he continued to “check” the Mahathir administration by launching attacks via social media.

Although he often highlights his “achievements as a prime minister who brought benefits to the rakyat”, most times his tirades sound defensive — as if he is more interested in defending himself against the accusations hurled his way.

It is still early days for the Umno-led BN opposition. But by having its “cabinet” shadow the PH government, it has taken the most appropriate first step. The next move is to cut the rhetoric, ask probing questions, monitor the performance of the ministers and be present during proceedings.

They can even take it up a notch by not using the whip, letting themselves support good legislation and not opposing just because they are the opposition.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.