LETTER | Ahmad Faizal's response to Thayaparan

LETTER | Your article in response to my Malaysiakini interview is interesting.

Your writing seems to have a lot of anger, and the need to sound imperious perhaps skewers your overall narrative.

For instance, your blanket condemnation of Perikatan Nasional (PN) voters and why they voted PN.

To revile the choice of any voter betrays a contempt towards the plurality of society.

Implying that one has intellectual supremacy over another just because of their voting choices is insulting and not constructive.

Ridiculing politicians like me is fair play. But anyone mocking swathes of the populace as intellectually challenged is snobbish, elitist and lacks empathy.

I am sure the Pakatan Harapan support base is aghast that a man with 47 corruption charges in court is now the deputy prime minister.

Would it be fair to mirror your comments and say that this is the kind of leader Harapan supporters think the country needs? Of course not.

You also speak erroneously about revisionism.

A simple Google search will show you enough examples of DAP’s (my coalition partner) attempts to overthrow me as the menteri besar in 2019.

These seeds led to the eventual collapse of the Harapan federal government as the clamour for position and power surpassed the need for good governance.

Let us also not forget that 92 lawmakers from DAP, PKR and Amanah abandoned Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he first attempted to prove his numbers in the palace after his resignation.

This isn’t revisionism; it’s the truth, as I experienced it.

Unfortunately, political dialogue in Malaysia often ends in a “We vs Them” zero-sum game, which I believe must be improved.

The country needs solutions today, not more antagonism.

Perhaps we can sit and chat over a cup of coffee. I would love to hear your thoughts on what can be done to manage our ever-increasing cost of living and to fix the economy.

These are the fundamental topics that need urgent resolution.

The writer is Bersatu’s deputy president, a former youth and sports minister, and ex-Perak menteri besar.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.