Lifting the veil on politicians’ biggest fears

Lifting the veil on politicians’ biggest fears



From Clement Stanley

What are politicians and political parties really afraid of? Losing face, losing power and losing an election certainly comes to mind.

As a general election inches ever closer, such fears will come to the fore, despite the politicians trying their best to hide behind personal attacks or even smiles.

Such fears stand out like a sore thumb when one is not brave enough to make a bold decision and face the truth.

Here’s a look at what some politicians seem to fear.

Zuraida Kamaruddin

Zuraida abandoned Bersatu in favour of her new party PBM. Her position as plantation industries and commodities minister had been obtained when she was with Bersatu and Muhyiddin Yassin’s government. PBM was never a part of that government.

What is there for her to discuss now with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob? Why not do the honourable thing and just resign from the cabinet? Whether her resignation is accepted or not is a different matter. Why fear making this move when it is the right thing to do?

Loke Siew Fook and DAP

Why is he upset with Ismail Sabri Yaakob changing his stance on calling for an early general election? Yes, Ismail did say on May 31 that the country could do without going to the polls soon, but changed his stance at the Barisan Nasional convention to say that he would dissolve Parliament the very minute BN is ready to go to the polls and that he would not delay such action by “even a second”.

What does Loke fear? Surely as a seasoned politician, Loke knows how to play the political game and manipulate certain situations that are in his favour, right? Playing to the gallery is something politicians love to do. It is as simple as that. One would only be fearful of early polls if he and his party are ill-prepared to do battle with Umno and BN. Is that it?

Anwar Ibrahim and PKR

Why is he so fearful about never becoming prime minister to the point that he spoke to the Umno president and discussed his game plan? Is he afraid that he is no longer relevant politically and thus must find ways of being relevant? Why not just listen to his incoming deputy president Rafizi Ramli and his daughter Nurul Izzah who have had pragmatic views on this?

Just face the truth and the reality that PKR will always come out second best, and stay in the opposition with dignity.

Muhyiddin Yassin and Bersatu

Is he afraid that come GE15, his party will be annihilated and left in tatters, and thus he saw it fit to call upon the various party presidents to join forces? What is the fear? That Bersatu is likely to be only a bit player after GE15?

He must know that the writing is on the wall. After the Sheraton Move, nobody, friends or foe, trusted him. He is suffering a severe case of “trust deficit” and the sooner he accepts this the better. No point in thinking about becoming the PM a second time around. That should be the least of his worries.

PAS and Muafakat Nasional

Are they afraid that the party would become a thing of the past? The epitaph has been written by none other than Najib Razak and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. They have spoken as have some of the other Umno Supreme Council members.

Najib still has a lot of sway in Umno, and more often than not overshadows the prime minister. And he is still treated as if he is royalty.

Is PAS afraid that MN is dead and buried as stated by Zahid? Are they afraid that Umno will defeat them hands down in GE15, as they did in Melaka and Johor?

Is that why it keeps repeating that MN is still needed and relevant? Why don’t they face the truth that one cannot have the cake and eat it too when serving two masters? If it is over, it is over. Why not go on their own strengths and not ride on Umno’s coattails?

Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pejuang

This is the reality – the party was wiped out in Johor where all its candidates lost their deposits. Mahathir’s influence in all probability is only good enough for Kedah. Like Bersatu, Mahathir suffers from a “trust deficit”. Mahathir was the “hope of the nation” at GE14 but it only was a matter of time before the “real” Mahathir emerged from the shadows. Does a leopard change its spots?

The fear of Pejuang being only a regional party is very much the reality of the situation at hand. Is best to live with that fear and face it because, in the end, he will not be disappointed.