IDEAS founder urges activists to remain independent, not join govt

(MMO) – Members of the civil society should remain independent, instead of rushing off to join the government, Tunku Zain al-’Abidin Muhriz said today.

The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) founding president said this is one of his concerns after the migration of many “valuable” society members to the government after the 14th General Election.

“Civil society must remain independent. Since GE14 win, so many people have clamoured to join the government.

“Bersih has lost Maria Chin Abdullah, IDEAS has lost Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Datuk S. Ambiga is also now with the government.

“You will lose a valuable force for check and balance if this continues,” he said during a forum at Menara Badan Peguam here today.

Maria, who is the former Bersih 2.0 chairman, won the parliamentary seat of Petaling Jaya in the recent polls.

Tunku Zain’s former colleague at IDEAS, Wan Saiful, has since joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysian and contested the Pendang parliamentary seat, losing to PAS’ Awang Hashim.

Meanwhile, Ambiga now is a member of the Institutional Reforms Committee under the government’s informal advisory panel, the Council of Eminent Persons.

The Negri Sembilan prince said social activists who became government attaches also run the risk of losing their credibility if the government proves to be authoritarian in the future.

“It may not be apparent now but what if we revert to the authoritarian ways we once were in, you may then lose your credibility because you are now complicit,” he said.

The forum had discussed the topic “of “The Importance of a Strong Opposition for a Vibrant Democracy”.

It was organised by the Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee, and the Bar Council National Young Lawyers and Pupils Committee.