Francis Paul Siah
COMMENT | This is merely a hypothesis. Anwar Ibrahim may or may not become prime minister after the 15th general election (GE15). So, I hope the Anwaristas will not pour scorn nor should the anti-Anwar groups applaud loudly in approval.
Pakatan Harapan must learn from the lessons of post-GE14, going into GE15. If Harapan leaders do not, then the people must ensure that these so-called leaders do.
Politicians are mostly self-serving; they have their personal interests as candidates entering an election. As long as they win, even if their party/coalition do not, they are fine.
So, these politicians will do their utmost to seduce the people to support them and go out to vote. But let us, the voters, be more discerning and not be easily fooled as we had been in the past.
It is not as simple as supporting the candidates and coalition we fancy and hope that they emerge victorious. After they had won, they would form the government and all of us would live happily ever after! Nay, it isn’t that smooth sailing and easy.
GE14 should be a lesson well learnt for all of us. It is particularly disturbing because, going into GE15, more or less of the same players are still around, whether in BN, PN or Harapan.
A couple of them had announced their retirement but the bulk of the main players just refuse to go away, harbouring their ego-triggered illusion that they are still needed by the people.
Unfortunately, many of those who remain are the worst politicians, the treacherous and self-serving kind, who still want to stick around due to their intoxication with greed, power and position.
Look at the top leaders of the coalitions and you will surely know what I am talking about.
Seriously, I do not expect much to change after GE15, irrespective of who heads the new government. My expectations of leaders are very high and I doubt the current crop of political leaders could fulfil them.
I am very concerned about some “unseen” but not “unexpected” episodes happening after Harapan is in power, assuming the coalition wins GE15.
Somehow, I am still haunted by the ghosts of Harapan’s 22- month administration led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The majority of Malaysians who supported Harapan were left bewildered, probably even up to this day, as to how and why a democratically elected government could be stolen in broad daylight from them.
COMMENT | This is merely a hypothesis. Anwar Ibrahim may or may not become prime minister after the 15th general election (GE15). So, I hope the Anwaristas will not pour scorn nor should the anti-Anwar groups applaud loudly in approval.
Pakatan Harapan must learn from the lessons of post-GE14, going into GE15. If Harapan leaders do not, then the people must ensure that these so-called leaders do.
Politicians are mostly self-serving; they have their personal interests as candidates entering an election. As long as they win, even if their party/coalition do not, they are fine.
So, these politicians will do their utmost to seduce the people to support them and go out to vote. But let us, the voters, be more discerning and not be easily fooled as we had been in the past.
It is not as simple as supporting the candidates and coalition we fancy and hope that they emerge victorious. After they had won, they would form the government and all of us would live happily ever after! Nay, it isn’t that smooth sailing and easy.
GE14 should be a lesson well learnt for all of us. It is particularly disturbing because, going into GE15, more or less of the same players are still around, whether in BN, PN or Harapan.
A couple of them had announced their retirement but the bulk of the main players just refuse to go away, harbouring their ego-triggered illusion that they are still needed by the people.
Unfortunately, many of those who remain are the worst politicians, the treacherous and self-serving kind, who still want to stick around due to their intoxication with greed, power and position.
Look at the top leaders of the coalitions and you will surely know what I am talking about.
Seriously, I do not expect much to change after GE15, irrespective of who heads the new government. My expectations of leaders are very high and I doubt the current crop of political leaders could fulfil them.
I am very concerned about some “unseen” but not “unexpected” episodes happening after Harapan is in power, assuming the coalition wins GE15.
Somehow, I am still haunted by the ghosts of Harapan’s 22- month administration led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The majority of Malaysians who supported Harapan were left bewildered, probably even up to this day, as to how and why a democratically elected government could be stolen in broad daylight from them.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad
I believe they do not wish to see a repeat of such an unthinkable episode. Hence, the all-important question – how well prepared is Harapan in avoiding another bickering and unstable administration?
The answer lies with the man who will be Harapan’s second prime minister - that is if Harapan managed to defy the odds and win GE15.
To avoid a lengthy piece here, let me touch on just one important aspect and my key concern in the formation of a new government – that of assembling his first cabinet by the prime minister.
Mahathir’s ploy
Will Anwar do a Mahathir, when he becomes the prime minister? Selecting his cabinet of ministers is his prerogative as PM, so will he appoint ministers without considering the recommendations of his allies in the DAP and Amanah?
Remembering what Mahathir did? I can recall two incidents when Mahathir acted arbitrarily in exerting his power and without considering the repercussions of his actions.
One, then DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had announced, during the GE14 campaign, that if Harapan wins, two senior party MPs namely Nga Kor Min and Chong Chieng Jen would become full ministers.
But Mahathir would have none of it, choosing names not recommended by the DAP for cabinet positions, like Yeo Bee Yin, a first-time parliamentarian.
Then, as if to cheekily insult the two male MPs whom he could have a distinct dislike for, he appointed them to junior positions, Nga as deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker and Chong as a deputy minister.
Two, Mahathir also meddled with PKR decisions. He decided to appoint Azmin Ali to the senior position of economic minister even though Azmin had already got himself sworn in as Selangor menteri Besar.
It became clear that this was Mahathir’s ploy to create dissension within PKR and to prevent Anwar from becoming prime minister. What a dirty move, Mahathir!
Another episode which many could clearly recall was the refusal by Mahathir to make way for Anwar after two years as the interim prime minister. I wrote several articles in this column on the issue; one of which I stated that everyone heard it was for two years, except Mahathir.
I believe they do not wish to see a repeat of such an unthinkable episode. Hence, the all-important question – how well prepared is Harapan in avoiding another bickering and unstable administration?
The answer lies with the man who will be Harapan’s second prime minister - that is if Harapan managed to defy the odds and win GE15.
To avoid a lengthy piece here, let me touch on just one important aspect and my key concern in the formation of a new government – that of assembling his first cabinet by the prime minister.
Mahathir’s ploy
Will Anwar do a Mahathir, when he becomes the prime minister? Selecting his cabinet of ministers is his prerogative as PM, so will he appoint ministers without considering the recommendations of his allies in the DAP and Amanah?
Remembering what Mahathir did? I can recall two incidents when Mahathir acted arbitrarily in exerting his power and without considering the repercussions of his actions.
One, then DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had announced, during the GE14 campaign, that if Harapan wins, two senior party MPs namely Nga Kor Min and Chong Chieng Jen would become full ministers.
But Mahathir would have none of it, choosing names not recommended by the DAP for cabinet positions, like Yeo Bee Yin, a first-time parliamentarian.
Then, as if to cheekily insult the two male MPs whom he could have a distinct dislike for, he appointed them to junior positions, Nga as deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker and Chong as a deputy minister.
Two, Mahathir also meddled with PKR decisions. He decided to appoint Azmin Ali to the senior position of economic minister even though Azmin had already got himself sworn in as Selangor menteri Besar.
It became clear that this was Mahathir’s ploy to create dissension within PKR and to prevent Anwar from becoming prime minister. What a dirty move, Mahathir!
Another episode which many could clearly recall was the refusal by Mahathir to make way for Anwar after two years as the interim prime minister. I wrote several articles in this column on the issue; one of which I stated that everyone heard it was for two years, except Mahathir.
PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli
There is no guarantee that Harapan’s internal tussles will not surface again. Hence, I believe it makes sense for the three coalition partners to agree on a cabinet line-up, before going to the polls.
It is not silly or ridiculous to do so. This is not about jumping the gun or planning for something that has not taken place yet.
It’s okay not to adopt the “win first, then decide” strategy. Be a step ahead, Harapan. Learn from the bitter lessons of GE14.
Can Anwar be trusted once he becomes prime minister? I wouldn’t trust him 100 percent, that’s for sure.
Thinking ahead, what if Anwar decides to ostracise Rafizi Ramli and his team and make life difficult for his newly elected deputy. Assuming PKR wins the most number of seats, Rafizi should be deputy prime minister by convention.
What if Anwar decides to appoint Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as DPM instead? What if Anwar decides to appoint some of his “favoured boys” in PKR, including those known unsavoury characters, into important public positions?
This will likely start another round of internal tussles within the Rafizi and ant-Rafizi camps in the party. A fragmented PKR will prove disastrous for a Harapan government.
My question: Will DAP and Amanah put their feet down should Anwar step out of line as PM? They didn’t during Mahathir’s time. We know what happened then.
This must not happen again. To ensure that the cabinet issue does not give the Harapan administration another early jolt, it’s best for an agreement to be put in place and one which Anwar and PKR must honour.
Because Anwar, the prime minister, owes it to his allies and Malaysians who voted for Harapan to do so.
There is no guarantee that Harapan’s internal tussles will not surface again. Hence, I believe it makes sense for the three coalition partners to agree on a cabinet line-up, before going to the polls.
It is not silly or ridiculous to do so. This is not about jumping the gun or planning for something that has not taken place yet.
It’s okay not to adopt the “win first, then decide” strategy. Be a step ahead, Harapan. Learn from the bitter lessons of GE14.
Can Anwar be trusted once he becomes prime minister? I wouldn’t trust him 100 percent, that’s for sure.
Thinking ahead, what if Anwar decides to ostracise Rafizi Ramli and his team and make life difficult for his newly elected deputy. Assuming PKR wins the most number of seats, Rafizi should be deputy prime minister by convention.
What if Anwar decides to appoint Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as DPM instead? What if Anwar decides to appoint some of his “favoured boys” in PKR, including those known unsavoury characters, into important public positions?
This will likely start another round of internal tussles within the Rafizi and ant-Rafizi camps in the party. A fragmented PKR will prove disastrous for a Harapan government.
My question: Will DAP and Amanah put their feet down should Anwar step out of line as PM? They didn’t during Mahathir’s time. We know what happened then.
This must not happen again. To ensure that the cabinet issue does not give the Harapan administration another early jolt, it’s best for an agreement to be put in place and one which Anwar and PKR must honour.
Because Anwar, the prime minister, owes it to his allies and Malaysians who voted for Harapan to do so.
FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com
Frankly, Francis Paul Siah lost the plot years ago.
ReplyDeleteThis guy has been wholly uncritical of GPS, mainly focusing his attacks Pakatan.
Paul is a "patriotic" Sarawakian lah, wakakaka
DeleteMore correctly - an anmokausai pommie admirer, reminiscing that bygone good old days of colonial Sarawak!
Deletewhat a hilarious suggestion, imagine the brickbats they'll get from not only their opponents but wise guys as well no doubt, that will in turn put unnecessary pressure on the nominees, nobody goes into a brawl with a straights jacket
ReplyDelete