A legal contract more defining than the so-called 'social contract'

A legal contract more defining than the so-called 'social contract'
Dr Collin Abraham
Malaysia Today - 25 March 2008

I believe it will be generally agreed that if there was one extraordinary appointment to the newly formed cabinet it was that of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim charged with the responsibility of Judicial Affairs and Legal Reform.

This is not simply because Zaid’ appointment was controversial in itself, to say the least, but rather because he has potentially been given a blank cheque to institute legal reforms that strike at the heart of giving each and every Malaysian an inalienable legal contract of protection under the Federal Constitution. I have no doubt whatsoever that Zaid will do his utmost to ensure that Malaysians have this full protection under the rule of law, thereby giving them the kind of confidence needed to create a ‘level playing field’ for themselves and to take control of their lives. As I see it, this situation, if it is also accompanied by reasonable institutional measures to alleviate poverty across the board, will necessarily make the so-called “social contract’ of the Barisan National obsolete.

Indeed, according to a leading lawyer Zainur Zakaria “the (this) so-called ‘social contract’” has been replaced with the Federation Constitution which spells out the rights of the communities” (NST 24/3/08) and therefore in emphasising individual legal rights under law reforms Zaid would in fact be contributing to a defining boost to harmonious ethnic and race relations in the country.

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