FMT:
A fine mess you’ve gotten us into!
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From the start, it was evident that Mahathir had no intention of handing over the reins to Anwar Ibrahim.
In a 1998 video, he had told the world press that Anwar was not fit to be PM because he lacked moral rectitude. Until today, he still has not apologised or retracted that condemnation of Anwar.
He made it clear to all that he was prepared to work with Umno and PAS and the Mohd Azmin Ali faction of PKR. He vehemently refused to be tied down to naming a date for the handover of power to Anwar.
It was the incessant importuning by PKR and DAP leaders to state the handover date, and his refusal to do so, which ultimately led him to resign.
The departure of his own party, PPBM, from the PH coalition then led to the collapse of the government. Thus, we have “gotten into this fine mess” due to this really frivolous reason and not through any cataclysmic economic, political or social crisis faced by the nation.
The subsequent turnaround by Anwar and the DAP leaders, pleading for Mahathir to stay on, must be the lowest point to which politicians were prepared to go in opportunistic flip-flopping.
He made it clear to all that he was prepared to work with Umno and PAS and the Mohd Azmin Ali faction of PKR. He vehemently refused to be tied down to naming a date for the handover of power to Anwar.
It was the incessant importuning by PKR and DAP leaders to state the handover date, and his refusal to do so, which ultimately led him to resign.
The departure of his own party, PPBM, from the PH coalition then led to the collapse of the government. Thus, we have “gotten into this fine mess” due to this really frivolous reason and not through any cataclysmic economic, political or social crisis faced by the nation.
The subsequent turnaround by Anwar and the DAP leaders, pleading for Mahathir to stay on, must be the lowest point to which politicians were prepared to go in opportunistic flip-flopping.
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'Tuk please stay lah |
Only when Mahathir announced his intention to form a unity government did PH finally decide that they were actually the ones ready to form the next government with Anwar as PM, if they have the numbers.
We credit Mahathir with being a cunning old fox. Nevertheless, his latest unity government proposal will be unpopular, not only with PH but also with civil society.
The opposing coalition of Umno and PAS has already declared its refusal to work with DAP. But in Malaysia, you never know how “pragmatic” politicians can be.
If Mahathir does succeed in cobbling together a unity government, Malaysian civil society will certainly rise up to the challenge of playing the true opposition front. Or, could this unity government idea turn out to be Mahathir’s swan song?
The only dignified exit from this political farce is to call for new elections so that the people can vote for whom they think are the good, the bad and the ugly in the new political menagerie.
Kua Kia Soong is the adviser to Suaram
Haha...yes, the entire massive, destructive maneuver, including bringing down the elected Malaysian government was, at its core, principally to prevent handing over the leadership to Anwar.
ReplyDeleteAll that to impede one man.
Amazing , but likely true.
In case people have forgotten, the world, and definitely Malaysia, faces a dangerous coronavirus pandemic.
ReplyDeleteRunning a General Election campaign, with a mere caretaker government in charge will be disastrous if an epidemic breaks out in the country.
(The Johor chapters of PPBM and Umno have joined forces to form the state government. In a statement issued by the Johor palace, the two parties are said to have a simple majority in…) ??
ReplyDeleteThe Old Fart is not giving up without a fight. Bring It On...!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Agong already said He will meet the Conference of Rulers tomorrow. So why is the Interim PM calling for a Parliament Session on Monday to choose a PM? Is he afraid of what the Sultans will decide? Toonsie knows the Sultans still remember what Toonsie did to the Rulers in the 80s....
The Old Fart decides to return to Bersatu as Chairman, which means he is in charge. Muhyiddin must listen to him. Then he nominates Muhyiddin as PM, saying Muhyiddin "may be willing" to allow UMNO into the Perikatan en masse. This is a trap and a lie. He just wants MPs to vote for Muhyiddin as PM on Monday then after that as Chairman of Bersatu Toonsie will block the UMNO people he doesn't like from the government.
good point - I'll put your points as a post - wakakaka
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