EVEN though the popularity of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is at the lowest ebb with opinion poll having targeted him for removal from the cabinet, there is no way Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will ever heed such call.
True to the tune of the once popular Blues Gang song Apo Nak Dikato?, veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin reckoned that while outcome of the Aug 12 six states elections has clearly proven that he is a liability to the unity government, the UMNO president is a nevertheless a necessity in Anwar’s eyes.
“Without Zahid, there will be no PM named Anwar. The idea of PH-BN (Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional) as the backbone of the unity government is deeply rooted in the Anwar-Zahid partnership,” the former Bersatu supreme council who has since pledged his allegiance to PH penned in a recent Facebook post.
“My view is that as stubborn as Anwar is and no matter how close he is with Zahid, he knows that the UMNO president is a burden. The results of the six state polls on Aug 12 have clearly proven UMNO’s misdemeanour.”
Kadir had earlier commented on one of Malaysiakini’s headlines on Oct 11 (Wednesday) entitled “Tinjauan Pendapat Minta Anwar Gugur Zahid Dari Kabinet” (English version: In KL Street Poll, Many Want Zahid Out) which he described as “not a news” or just “stating the obvious”.’
“… Malaysiakini or anyone else can continue to conduct surveys with the findings that Zahid must be removed but Anwar cannot and will never do so,” asserted the national journalism laureate.
“What’s more after the former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun (in the final moments of his term in office) has slogged to work out a DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal) for Zahid. Such legal manoeuvre will be waste of energy if Anwar drops Zahid unless the UMNO head honcho himself resigns.”
In all fairness. Kadir stressed the need for the people to understand that Zahid is the “kill switch” that Anwar must latch on to in order to prevent UMNO from becoming stronger than PKR.
“If UMNO is allowed to recover with a more authoritative leadership, it can become stronger than PKR in a short time. This is certainly not good for Anwar unless he plans to merge PKR with UMNO,” suggested the former group editor-in-chief of New Straits Times.
“Regarding Idrus, the Madani government has begun to express its sense of indebtedness and gratitude by appointing him as the Amanah Raya Bhd chairman. A reward has come his way slightly more than a month into his retirement.” – Oct 13, 2023
