YOURSAY | Where Art thou when Kasthuri needs you?

YOURSAY | ‘Art, Art. What has become of you?’

Azhar once chided Pandikar for turning blind eye to sexist remarks

David Dass: Azhar Azizan 'Art' Harun had built for himself a reputation from his writings. We all thought that he would do as he preached.

Agreeing to take on the position of House speaker from Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was itself puzzling. Ariff was exceptional as the speaker. Professional and even-handed.

Why did Azhar step down as Election Commission (EC) chairperson? We all assumed that he was doing an exemplary job as EC chairperson. What greater good was being served by accepting the speaker's position?

Mahathir has set the tone - DAP bad as being a Chinese party, PKR bad as not being a Malay party. And the necessity for a unity party that was Malay dominant with nominal Chinese and Indian participation.

So that is now the operating mode. Mahathir’s former colleague Wan Saiful Wan Jan, for all his previous preaching, has veered to the other side. One can only hope that Azhar stays the course set by his own articulated standards.

As for the EC, we can hope that deputy chairperson Azmi Sharom will be confirmed as EC chief.

Will ambition trump principle every time? Wherein are the visionary statesmen that will lead us out of this darkness?

For many of us, the issues that bedevil us have never been about race or religion. It is about democracy and our Constitution, it is about the economy. It is about the rule of law. It is about justice.

It is about fairness to all. It is about the elimination of poverty and it is about the fair distribution of wealth and opportunities to all. It was never about one race dominating the rest.

We cannot each go our separate ways. That will be a recipe for disaster.

Vijay47: I am neither surprised nor disappointed when the fruit falls from the same tree.

The Harun family seems teeming with members talented enough to sing the same song to different beats depending on the audience and venue.

Both the attorney-general and speaker brothers’ first public performance has only led to the public shaking their heads in disdain with their lips curled in a sneer.

Idrus Harun disavowed any direct ownership of the first stand he took as AG when a renowned film producer and famous step-son had the bulk of his fabulous riches returned to him, with the previous AG being held responsible for the generosity Riza Aziz enjoyed.

Not to be outdone, brother Azhar has forgotten his sermons on righteousness and good upbringing when, as the speaker, he allowed Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to get away with obnoxious statements, not once but twice in a spate of a few seconds.

The bigger joke is that Abdul Azeez referred to MP Kasthuriraani Patto’s dark complexion.

Of course, she is dark and I am sure like most of us Indians, proud of it. I take it that our parliamentarian from Baling has not been looking at the mirror lately. Had he done so, he would have realised that he is hardly a model for Fair and Lovely.

Coming back to the Haruns, this surely must be the first pair of brothers where both are Cain.

Prominority: Azhar should have expelled the Baling MP together with the opposition MPs, then he would have been seen as fair and not favouring the PN.

I have always believed in Azhar as a very honest and a person of high integrity. Alas, every person has a price and people change.

Ferdtan: Azhar once commented that the speaker must be someone of integrity, fiercely independent and well-versed in parliamentary affairs.

1. Integrity and fiercely independent?

The writing on the wall is that he had been specially chosen by the backdoor government. Now since he did not follow the rule daring not to take a vote on confirmation of his own position, he is thus a 'backdoor' speaker.

2. Well-versed in parliamentary affairs?

That would be the biggest problem as he was never a parliamentarian, learning from work experience, nor having a strong background as a judge - only a mere lawyer who appears in his own Youtube channel.

Wong Choong Meng: He looks a bit bewildered in the photos. It looks like he did not expect the reception that he received.

After all, he had been saying and doing the right things until now and maybe did not expect to be treated in such a manner by those whom he supported previously.

For someone who until now had the luxury of time to consider carefully what to say, perhaps he just doesn't think fast enough on his feet - a big requirement for the speaker.

I hope he will improve. Nevertheless, it is a huge disappointment.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Art, Art. What has become of you? You were one of the few that all Malaysians had hope in changing this bigoted and sexist culture.

I don’t think you will ever be able to hold your head up with dignity after this. Neither can the rakyat.

MS: Why does the Dickensian character “Artful Dodger” come to mind?

Is that because it is not just in name the two are finely connected but also in the substance of their characters?

Whatever the case, it is now becoming increasingly evident that among this lot, honour and decency are not to be expected.

Scorpion: This is a season of turncoats, like a movie with all the twists.

Initially, I was prepared to give Azhar the benefit of the doubt but I was seething with anger watching the proceedings. Another one has joined the dark side.

Wira: Why Azhar, of all people?

It goes to show everyone has a price, no matter how permanent and honourable his principles are or seem to be.

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