Walking the talk: Why Bersatu must suspend backpedaler Wan Saiful

Walking the talk: Why Bersatu must suspend backpedaler Wan Saiful





IT IS not every day that we come across an MP with the tail between his legs apologising in the Dewan Rakyat for a false statement which he had retracted earlier.

Yesterday (March 5), Tasek Gelugor MP datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan apologised for calling Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim corrupt in the august house last week – a statement which he had already withdrawn moments later upon being instructed by the House Speaker.

But Wan Saiful only did that probably because he faced a six-month suspension from the Dewan Rakyat. A motion towards this end had earlier been filed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi but this was withdrawn after the former National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) chairman’s apology yesterday.

Yes, he is off the hook but this has come at the expense of his reputation – and that of his party Bersatu and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Here we have a former think-tanker, highly regarded for his intellect prior to his foray into politics, succumbing to gutter politics by making baseless accusations against PM and sullying the Federal legislature in the process.

But when things did not go as planned, he made a U-turn as though everything’s fine and dandy, oblivious to the damage he had done on the reputation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA), the PM and the Parliamentary institution.

The unity government had been magnanimous enough by not pursuing this matter as there are more pressing concerns that the Dewan Rakyat can focus on. But this does not mean that the antic of the former Bersatu information chief should end there.

On its part, Bersatu should take disciplinary action against Wan Saiful who is facing charges of corruption for bringing disrepute to the party such as internally suspending him for six months.

This will send a clear message that the party does not stand for unprofessional conduct, especially dishonesty. This will also show that the party has zero tolerance towards attempts to sully institutions like the royalty and the legislature, notwithstanding political affiliations.

Suspending Wan Saiful is definitely more productive for Bersatu than its ongoing attempts to have six of its rogue MPs who had switched allegiance sacked from the party for doing so will trigger costly by-elections.

Recall that over the weekend, Bersatu had amended its party constitution seeking to automatically remove MPs as members for disobeying the party. Should the Registrar of Society (ROS) approve the amendment, these MPs may lose their seats.

But one should remember that these MPs now support Anwar to enjoy more allocation for their constituents, not for personal gains like scoring political points by making baseless accusations.

Having the courage to cross the floor for the sake of one’s voters is definitely more honest than making a baseless accusation and then retracting them when things do not go their way. – March 6, 2024