YOURSAY | Harapan should not abandon principles in bid to form gov’t

YOURSAY | ‘It is not about getting into power with dubious reformists.’

Kit Siang: Wrong to assume Amanah, DAP have abandoned Anwar

Albert Wong: DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, being a strong supporter of DAP, I have always valued your far-sighted political views. However, in this case, I believe your views are short-sided.

I agree that Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Bersatu supporters might be able to get Warisan to make up the numbers to topple the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

But equally, without PKR, there is no way Mahathir can form the next government and be prime minister. So why keep saying only Mahathir can bring about a change in government?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that Pakatan Harapan Plus needs one another to stay together in order to make up that magical number for that badly needed political change? Why don't you ask Mahathir why he is so keen to be PM for only six months?

Frankly, can a sitting PM undo all evils in that short period? Even if you ask that, you will get a twisted reply. But all of us can guess his ulterior motives.

Kit Siang, I was surprised that you kept mum on this issue for a long time until now. Please come out straight on this issue. We trust you, or at least I do.

Cicak Boy: Sorry Kit Siang, but I am not convinced. If Sabah and Sarawak will not accept PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim now, what makes you so sure they will accept him in six months’ time?

To be fair to Anwar, would you and the entire top echelon of DAP and Amanah be willing to stake your political careers on that and leave politics if the handover does not happen?

Anonymous_002820872000: @Cicak Boy, have you not experienced courtship? Was your dream girl/boy not impressed with you at first but you worked hard to win him/her over? What's the difference?

The onus in on Anwar to work hard to gain the respect and trust of the leaders in Sabah and Sarawak. That's life, and a reality in the corporate world too. Why does Anwar constantly need to be cuddled and spoon-fed? He has to learn how to fish.

GoldenRabbit9285: What DAP and Amanah are asking of the rakyat is to accept another six months of twists and turns, and uncertainty from Mahathir - a PM who achieved little in his 22 months at the head of the Harapan government.

Mahathir packed his government with Bersatu and divisive MPs, thwarted every attempt to implement the reforms promised by Harapan, and worked assiduously to undermine the credibility of Anwar as the next PM and DAP as a trustworthy partner in government.

What in heaven’s name do DAP and Amanah hope to achieve by installing Mahathir once again - and for six months? This is the height of foolishness and self-deception.

If Mahathir is sincere, he should remove the uncertainty around Anwar, agree to a senior and honorary government post (PM emeritus?), with Anwar as PM and having the freedom to choose the next cabinet.

Anything else will only lead to more loss of trust and belief in Harapan, continued rumours and speculation on succession, and yet another wasted six months of incessant uncertainty.

Anonymous 79: It's not DAP or Amanah abandoning Anwar. It's Anwar abandoning the rakyat. In this Covid-19 crisis, he still wants to think about the PM post and not about the rakyat.

Does he know a lot of people don't have jobs and are struggling? Why he is so selfish? Why he can't wait for another six months?

We are giving up on Anwar. He is so hypocritical and selfish. Harapan should elect another leader. Under Anwar, Harapan will never be government again.

Apa Harapan: There was a transition period previously but Mahathir failed to provide any assurance for change. Do you trust him again to keep to his promise? Now that he has given an ultimatum to Anwar, it would seem that nothing else matters for him except for the PM post.

If right-thinking Malays do not want a harmonious and prosperous multiracial nation, then so be it. Mahathir is first and foremost a Malay-centric PM.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is the same, except that he has declared that he is Malay first. Both are useless to Malaysia as a multiracial nation.

OmegaCentral: Don't waste your time, Kit Siang. The trust deficit is too great to overcome among PKR MPs and supporters. There is even the possibility that PKR MPs might even rebel against Anwar and won't support Mahathir even if Anwar does.

The extreme dislike for Mahathir for all that has happened since he became PM cannot be salvaged. It is set in stone.

PurpleKoala5651: Uncle Lim, many have been with you for so many years even when Anwar joined Umno in 1982. Then, poor Anwar learned his bitter lessons, especially with Mahathir who led Malaysia for 22 years.

Even when Mahathir was at the nation’s helm for 22 months with Harapan, he never brought reformation to the administration. What Mahathir achieved was plenty of discontentment among Harapan members until the fall of the Harapan government.

One glaring example was how he allowed former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to hatch the fall of the government.

When we were small, we used to say, “touch your heart and say” (speak truthfully). Uncle Lim, can’t you see? In Mahathir’s recent interview with Malaysiakini, he was beating around the bush when asked how he will hand over to Anwar after six months.

Uncle Lim, can you convince us that Mahathir will keep his promise? Uncle Lim, please stay with Anwar for the 15th general election. Many of us are convinced Mahathir was not good then and will not be good in six months’ time.

Shovelnose: Kit Siang, after years of being hardcore opposition, this justification shows how wrong you can get after tasting power.

Is the power grab a ‘be all, end all’? Are you saying that you're willing to work with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and the likes to rip off the nation further?

Otherwise, where are Mahathir's numbers going to come from? Don't take your fervent voter base in the urban areas for granted. This wishy-washy stand will be DAP's bane.

Just A Malaysian: Kit Siang, Harapan should stand for the renewal of Malaysian’s stale, racial, and corrupted politics. It is about building a new democratic Malaysia based on the Constitution and rule of law. It is not about getting into power with dubious reformists.

Let go of Mahathir and let go of Putrajaya for the time being.

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