Kuala Lumpur, 11 May 2018 – IDEAS has released the following message, following the swearing in of the new Prime Minister:

“The Malaysian people have spoken and a new government will now be formed.

Since IDEAS was established 8 years ago we have championed the principles of rule of law, limited government, free markets and free individuals. We have argued consistently for a more open democracy in Malaysia and greater transparency of our public institutions. While we have never been partisan or sided with one politician or another, we welcome the fact that today represents the first democratic change of power in Malaysia’s history. This is an important milestone for our country and one in which we can all be proud.

We look forward to working with the new government as it implements its ambitious policy programme. We agree with Pakatan Harapan’s proposals to improve governance and strengthen Malaysia’s public instituions and we are encouraged by Pakatan’s plan for its first 100 days in governemnt, which represents a responsible approach to managing the Malaysian economy. We also look forward to building a productive relationship with the new Opposition who will play an important role in our democracy going forward.

We hope that today can mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Malaysia’s history, building on what has come before. We will continue to work tirelessly with all parts of Malaysian society to contribute honest, impartial research and propose solutions to our shared challenges as we work together towards a Malaysia that upholds the principles of liberty and justice.”