S Thayaparan
“The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look.”
COMMENT | Of course, this is a cabinet to ensure that newly minted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remains in power.
The inclusion of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the scandal-plagued desperado vilified by Pakatan Harapan in the recently concluded general election, is the means by which Anwar hopes to keep his coalition in check.
There are a few others from Harapan’s rogue gallery in there but this is a cabinet of necessity, not some sort of grandiose declaration of a New Malaysia.
We are truly in uncharted territory here. We are dealing with an opposition which is extreme in its ideology but, more importantly, bent on destabilising the crumbling institutions of democratic power in this country.
Because of unfair voter weightage and gerrymandering over decades of Umno rule, they have managed to weasel their way into a position of influence in this country and have made it very clear that the fascist state is their way to maintain power.
Now we can either quibble about the unfairness of the DAP not getting their political due or we could play the hand we are dealt with to strengthen the bulwark against the barbarians. What the ministries the DAP did get were the looting ground of former political operatives.
There are also the ministries that, if managed properly, are a direct line to the masses and could play a pivotal role in shaping Malay public opinion, which is why it is good that DAP supremo Anthony Loke said this: “Therefore whatever positions we have been given, we will do the best for the country.”
“The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look.”
- Julius Caesar
COMMENT | Of course, this is a cabinet to ensure that newly minted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remains in power.
The inclusion of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the scandal-plagued desperado vilified by Pakatan Harapan in the recently concluded general election, is the means by which Anwar hopes to keep his coalition in check.
There are a few others from Harapan’s rogue gallery in there but this is a cabinet of necessity, not some sort of grandiose declaration of a New Malaysia.
We are truly in uncharted territory here. We are dealing with an opposition which is extreme in its ideology but, more importantly, bent on destabilising the crumbling institutions of democratic power in this country.
Because of unfair voter weightage and gerrymandering over decades of Umno rule, they have managed to weasel their way into a position of influence in this country and have made it very clear that the fascist state is their way to maintain power.
Now we can either quibble about the unfairness of the DAP not getting their political due or we could play the hand we are dealt with to strengthen the bulwark against the barbarians. What the ministries the DAP did get were the looting ground of former political operatives.
There are also the ministries that, if managed properly, are a direct line to the masses and could play a pivotal role in shaping Malay public opinion, which is why it is good that DAP supremo Anthony Loke said this: “Therefore whatever positions we have been given, we will do the best for the country.”
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke
The DAP can have a great influence in the country if they manage these ministries well and indeed play a pivotal role in Anwar's agenda to supplant the extremist vote for a more moderate agenda.
I get it, I really do. It is horrible being denied political power merely because of your race.
More importantly, it is terrible to be denied political power to appease the propaganda that the DAP is secretly controlling Anwar.
“We supported him without any conditions. I said that if (DAP) was a stumbling block (to the formation of a government) we would facilitate and ease (the process) of him getting a majority,” said Loke, and this is very commendable.
In fact, this is what people like Abdul Hadi Awang and Muhyiddin Yassin will not understand. Sacrifice for greater utilitarian good.
Meanwhile, playing a bad cop - or is that good cop - depending on which part of the base is being appealed to I suppose, the Penang DAP head honcho laments the fact that the DAP is not getting their due.
Ok, so what happens if the DAP gets the most ministries? Do you think that this would make it easier or harder for Hadi to make his case that the Chinese community is controlling the country? And would this be better or worse for the DAP in the long run?
The DAP can have a great influence in the country if they manage these ministries well and indeed play a pivotal role in Anwar's agenda to supplant the extremist vote for a more moderate agenda.
I get it, I really do. It is horrible being denied political power merely because of your race.
More importantly, it is terrible to be denied political power to appease the propaganda that the DAP is secretly controlling Anwar.
“We supported him without any conditions. I said that if (DAP) was a stumbling block (to the formation of a government) we would facilitate and ease (the process) of him getting a majority,” said Loke, and this is very commendable.
In fact, this is what people like Abdul Hadi Awang and Muhyiddin Yassin will not understand. Sacrifice for greater utilitarian good.
Meanwhile, playing a bad cop - or is that good cop - depending on which part of the base is being appealed to I suppose, the Penang DAP head honcho laments the fact that the DAP is not getting their due.
Ok, so what happens if the DAP gets the most ministries? Do you think that this would make it easier or harder for Hadi to make his case that the Chinese community is controlling the country? And would this be better or worse for the DAP in the long run?
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang
The reality is that the power of the DAP is to move large voting blocks to secure the urban areas from the encroachment of racial and religious barbarians.
The power of the DAP is to secure the economic areas of progress which ironically funds the extremism that we are facing now. This point is beyond the scope of this article and something I have discussed before.
Toxic brew of extremism
Zahid as a DPM gambit only pays off if Zahid is able to maintain control of Umno, and more importantly, supports the initiatives to correct the electoral imbalances that favour the religious extremism in this country.
And no matter what anyone tells you, this is the key right here, and hopefully, in the agenda of the current prime minister.
This is why Hadi is frothing mad and going into conniptions. What he and PN hoped for was a government which would have carried out the greatest electoral delineation process this country ever saw, which would have ensured that it would remain in power in perpetuity.
People think the 1MDB scam was the greatest robbery they had ever witnessed. Well, PN and PAS were going to steal democracy from right under our noses.
The reality is that the power of the DAP is to move large voting blocks to secure the urban areas from the encroachment of racial and religious barbarians.
The power of the DAP is to secure the economic areas of progress which ironically funds the extremism that we are facing now. This point is beyond the scope of this article and something I have discussed before.
Toxic brew of extremism
Zahid as a DPM gambit only pays off if Zahid is able to maintain control of Umno, and more importantly, supports the initiatives to correct the electoral imbalances that favour the religious extremism in this country.
And no matter what anyone tells you, this is the key right here, and hopefully, in the agenda of the current prime minister.
This is why Hadi is frothing mad and going into conniptions. What he and PN hoped for was a government which would have carried out the greatest electoral delineation process this country ever saw, which would have ensured that it would remain in power in perpetuity.
People think the 1MDB scam was the greatest robbery they had ever witnessed. Well, PN and PAS were going to steal democracy from right under our noses.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said
New minister Azalina Othman Said stated that “….. and where need be, laws will be reformed to reinstate rights to the vulnerable, marginalised, and those who are not treated equally in our nation.”
Hopefully what this compromise government and these ministers understand is that there are far too many outdated laws that favour the racial and religious extremists that threaten this “unity government” and the best way to ensure the continued stability of this government, but more importantly, this country, is to reform laws that enable and embolden the racial and religious extremists who now form the opposition in this country.
What the Harapan base needs to remember is that the efficacy of this cabinet is not the personalities involved but whether Anwar’s government, through his cabinet, can withstand the toxic brew of extremism that is being mainlined into the arteries of this country.
What the Harapan base needs to come to grips with, is that the DAP, for some time, may not get its political due but will have to be content – if this government lasts that long that is – to remain the backbone of Harapan.
I understand that this may be an unpopular opinion but as I have always argued, the existential threat facing this country is religious extremism and if they win, it will be cold comfort that the DAP continues winning the most seats but being part of an ineffective opposition.
Ultimately, with the gerrymandering and the demographics as destiny agenda of the racial and religious extremists, it will all mean bupkis.
If this is truly Harapan’s last shot, the base should make it count.
New minister Azalina Othman Said stated that “….. and where need be, laws will be reformed to reinstate rights to the vulnerable, marginalised, and those who are not treated equally in our nation.”
Hopefully what this compromise government and these ministers understand is that there are far too many outdated laws that favour the racial and religious extremists that threaten this “unity government” and the best way to ensure the continued stability of this government, but more importantly, this country, is to reform laws that enable and embolden the racial and religious extremists who now form the opposition in this country.
What the Harapan base needs to remember is that the efficacy of this cabinet is not the personalities involved but whether Anwar’s government, through his cabinet, can withstand the toxic brew of extremism that is being mainlined into the arteries of this country.
What the Harapan base needs to come to grips with, is that the DAP, for some time, may not get its political due but will have to be content – if this government lasts that long that is – to remain the backbone of Harapan.
I understand that this may be an unpopular opinion but as I have always argued, the existential threat facing this country is religious extremism and if they win, it will be cold comfort that the DAP continues winning the most seats but being part of an ineffective opposition.
Ultimately, with the gerrymandering and the demographics as destiny agenda of the racial and religious extremists, it will all mean bupkis.
If this is truly Harapan’s last shot, the base should make it count.
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
The good commander talks a lot about the PH base needing to understand and accept the reality that DAP presence in the cabinet should be muted to avoid PN especially Hadi exploiting the situation should DAP have more ministries than what were given.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, are the UMNO MPs convinced that the unity government with its moderation the way to go? Or do they still harbour thoughts of ketuanan melayu?
Because, if they secretly believe the Malay agenda is the be all and end all, I predict the unity government will not last.