Yoursay: Will Mahathir ever hand over reins to Anwar?

YOURSAY | ‘Rakyat at the losing end when politicians are only interested in power.’

How to make two years last forever

Anonymous_1371546094: This is a sensible and thoughtful review of an issue that, seemingly difficult, should be resolved according to the Pakatan Harapan agreement that brought then PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to reconcile with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

As much as Mahathir contributed to Harapan’s win last May, Anwar bore the suffering and fighting for 20 years, whereas Mahathir only came back when he could not persuade his once protégé, former premier Najib Abdul Razak, to withdraw or for Umno to dump him.

We should have a balanced view of these personal contributions. Above all, heed the warning that we shouldn't end up in the same camp as “the likes of former minister Daim Zainuddin, Sarawak governor Taib Mahmud, and veteran journalist Kadir Jasin and co”.

Jasmine: Yes, there’s much political intrigue for the Malaysian people to worry about. Sad, for surely this uncertainty, tarnished further by racial flavourings, is not what the people wanted when they got rid of Umno and BN.

All this has come about because of the so-called 'agreement' of a two-year time frame for Mahathir to hand over the reins to Anwar.

If the original coalition partners and the people could forgive and accept Mahathir and his Malay-based Bersatu, despite his very damaging 22 years during his first stint as PM, why not we who supported Harapan, also give Anwar the same opportunity?

Not because he is the long-awaited messiah, not because that he is above all suspicions and that he could be trusted 100 percent to work for all Malaysians, but because it would be the right thing to do, without putting the current political situation and the country into further jeopardy.

After all, three years, and the next general election, can and will determine his and Harapan‘s future.

No Fear Nor Favour: Into a year since GE14, our nation seems not in existence. We are experiencing so much infighting and manoeuvring of political parties, especially that of Bersatu and PKR, to strategise and outwit each other to a vantage position.

These underhand schemes will be detrimental to the implementation of the many reforms Harapan promised. If the situation persists, instability and uncertainty will creep in.

And there will come a situation where the rakyat will stand up and demand to be heard. Ignore them at your own peril.

The Analyser: Mahathir has already ensured that he and/or the Bersatu supreme council is a permanent solution.

Anwar will never be prime minister, and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin will just be a puppet like former premiers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was and Najib was supposed to be.

Anthony Chan: Mahathir has reneged on his promises in the past and some with the audacity to admit them publicly. The coming one doesn't seem promising.

Still Water: Yes, Mahathir will not hand power to PKR and Anwar, who both have a multiracial outlook. Deep down, he is still a Malay nationalist, don't forget that.

After all, who needs Bersatu if there is no more Malay supremacy to protect or no Malay issue to champion?

Mo Saladin: Breaking electoral promises isn't just a trend for misguided values. It is a damning indictment of the party apparatchiks who just couldn't foresee the difficulty of squaring off the manifesto with the harsh reality of effecting these promises once in office.

Yet, the irony is that I dare say in two years’ time, any headline that reads '10 promises Pakatan kept' would be far less captivating than the one stating 'Tun breaks promise'.

Ku Li: Pray for Dr M's health - there'll be chaos without him

Anonymous_1371549094: When Umno went downhill under Najib, did Umno advisory council chairperson Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah think that we should pray for the good health of Umno?

Harapan has problems. So has PKR. But our nation's fortunes are still better entrusted to their leaders than Umno kleptocrats and the failed 'kingmaker' PAS.

Razaleigh's tragedy is he had his chances of being leader at different times of crises, but he never exerted himself. He waited for the positions to fall into his lap.

Even Pakatan Rakyat before thought of him as their potential leader but he was so loyal to Umno. He eventually dragged his defeated Semangat 46 back into Umno.

Whatever his personal failings, Anwar fought and fought until PKR broke through in 2008, Pakatan made their gains in 2013, and Harapan ousted Umno in 2018.

In comparison, what are Razaleigh's political virtues or achievements – other than an uninterrupted Gua Musang seat?

Appum: Why can't these people see that Malaysia requires the best leaders, whether they be Malays or Chinese or Indians or lain-lain (others)?

What we need is everyone lumped together as Malaysians. Can this ever happen? Not, naturally. We have to work at it to make it happen. Anyway, Razaleigh, no one is indispensable.

Kunta Kinte: Umno and PAS are working hard to put a wedge between Mahathir and Anwar. They are basically telling non-Muslims “we don't need you in GE15.”

P Ramlee: One after another, these men are fanning racial sentiments in order to win the election.

I hope the Harapan component party members realise this and minimise unnecessary sensitive and controversial issues so that they can't capitalise.

Rick Teo: This expired politician can only continue to preach the same old racist theme. 

It’s about time someone asked Razaleigh to retire gracefully. He has nothing to offer that is good for the country and luckily, he did not become our prime minister or the country would be in chaos.

Gaji Buta: This is exactly why Mahathir should stick to the agreed two years and start the handover process as early as possible, so that there is no gap when he steps down.

The last thing we need is for him to croak at the prime minister's desk. The longer he delays, the higher the chance of it happening.

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