The 14th General Elections will go down as an epochal moment in the history of Malaysia.
9 May 2018 will forever be a special date in the hearts and minds of all Malaysians.
The people have spoken. They have sent a clear message that they want change; change in the way the country is governed and change in the direction it is headed.
But 9 May was about so much more than just the defeat of Barisan Nasional.
It was about the determination of millions of Malaysians who came out to vote, often in the face of unfavourable conditions or even alleged outright attempts to suppress their democratic rights.
It was about the hope and enthusiasm of countless young and first-time Malaysian voters who took a stake in their country’s future.
It was about the tireless work of Malaysians who sacrificed their time and effort to volunteer in campaigns or work as election agents for the seats contested by Pakatan Harapan and WARISAN across the country.
As a result, we were able to take Putrajaya back for the people.
We shattered the myth that any state is any one party or coalition’s ‘safe deposit.’
And we showed that the people of Malaysia will never ever tolerate corruption, abuse of power and mendacity.
The aptly coined ‘Tsunami Rakyat’ is a reminder that power resides in the people.
As Pakatan Harapan’s government is formed with the swearing-in of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysia’s seventh Prime Minister and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as his Deputy Prime Minister, the real work will begin.
It will not be easy to correct the abuses of the recent years—but we must make a start.
There will be difficulties and problems from within our borders and from the world—but let us meet them head-on, bold and unafraid.
We must discharge the pledges of our manifestos, resolve the scandals and injustices of the past, as well as prepare our nation for the future.
Pakatan Harapan and WARISAN have been given a strong mandate by the people to reform of public institutions, reinforce the rule of law and democracy, investigate large-scale scandals, and uplift the economy and people’s livelihood.
Bear with us as we work to correct the wrongs of the previous administration. If there are any shortcomings on our part, use your voice to hold us accountable.
Dr Mahathir has also pledged to work on the freedom and pardon of Anwar Ibrahim. We will continue to stand behind Anwar as Malaysia’s eighth Prime Minister.
We would like to thank all Malaysians, especially the youths, who came out in large numbers against all odds to stand up for their country. We are truly humbled by your commitment. It is your mandate for us to do our very best for our homeland.
All Malaysians should be proud of what we accomplished on 9 May.
Let us therefore continue to work together—with unity and determination—to ensure that our country lives up to its great promise.
May God bless and protect us in this endeavour.
Let’s work together to rebuild our nation!
NIK NAZMI NIK AHMAD
SETIAWANGSA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
