THE twice-former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed thinks and acts as though Malaysians are fools or have short memories.
It is not that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does not have support to be the prime minister, because he had it in the past.
It is still too early to write him off. He may not be the prime minister now but he could be after the next general election.
Nothing can be discounted in politics and certainly not when it comes to Anwar.
In the current build-up, as to who will be the prime minister, there seems to be a close contest between Anwar of PH and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Umno.
It is, however, yet to be determined as to who will get the numbers to be considered as the next prime minister.
Anwar was the deputy prime minister in Mahathir’s Cabinet, but then again how could Anwar be chosen to be the prime minister if he was hounded, arrested on trumped up charges and convicted?
This was the doing of Mahathir, in case he has forgotten how he victimised Anwar.
How can Anwar aspire to be the prime minister when he was sacked from Umno and as the deputy prime minister?
It was not that he lacked support.
It was in fact the exit of Anwar that had led to the formation of PKR with Anwar as its president.
Anwar could have become the prime minister after PH won the Federal Government.
Since he was in prison, the opportunity was given to Mahathir on the condition that he would vacate his position after two years.
But then Mahathir made it virtually impossible for Anwar to assume the number one position.
It was not that Anwar lacked the credentials or support but it was deliberately and viciously sabotaged by Mahathir.
During Mahathir’s 22 months in office, he had nary an indication as to when he will give up his post and whether Anwar would be his replacement.
While the pressure was being built up for Mahathir to give up the post, he clandestinely encouraged a countermove against Anwar and PH which resulted in the “Sheraton Move” with the formation of a new government.
It is not that Mahathir was unaware of this counter-move. While Mahathir might not have been part of it, he certainly did not stop it.
At that time, anything was game to him if the objective had to do with derailing Anwar’s plan to be the prime minister.
Eventually, Mahathir resigned because his idea of a unity government, with him in ultimate authority, had no takers.
PH was fully behind Anwar, but they allowed Mahathir to be the interim prime minister.
Mahathir had no loyalty towards PH, and he was adamant from stopping Anwar ascending the top post.
It is not that Anwar had no support but was prevented from becoming the prime minister by none other than Mahathir.
It is not for Mahathir to ramble about whether Anwar has the support or not.
No sane person can aspire to be the prime minister and succeed under the circumstances of wheeling and dealing engaged by the “Sheratocrats” and “Kleptocrats”.
The present numbers game is mockery and great insult to Malaysians who are longing for decent and moral government. – Aug 20, 2021
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
