SHOULD the unity government win a resounding victory during the Aug 12 six state polls, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must consider making representations to the Saudi Arabia government to lift the ban on Tan Sri Hadi Awang so that the PAS president will understand the battle between open-minded and extremist Islamists in the Middle East.
This, according to retired DAP supremo Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, will pave way for PAS top brass to look at Middle East and North African countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia from a different light instead of merely pursuing narrow-minded struggles that are detrimental to a plural Malaysia.
“Hadi was the special envoy to the Middle East to two prime ministers (PM) from 2020 to 2022 although how he discharged his duties remain a mystery as he was banned in Saudi Arabia and a number of countries in the Middle East,” the veteran lawmaker pointed out at a Penang DAP dinner at SJKC Shang Wu in Air Itam last night (July 16).
“Kedah Menteri Besar (currently in caretaker capacity) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said Malaysia was becoming North Korea under the Madani government. This is the last thing Malaysians want.”
Instead of straying further and further away from the original nation-building principles for a plural Malaysia, Kit Siang challenged PAS members to look at the bold reform agendas in today’s Middle Eastern and North African countries to modernise the region and to liberalise social institutions as well as to drive economic diversification.
“An overwhelming majority of the people in these countries support these reform agendas and reject the ideology of politicised religious movements. They favour pragmatic governments that can create more jobs for young people, reform religious institutions and enhance public services such as health and education.”
Although the Anwar unity government is not going to be toppled whatever the outcome of the six state polls on Aug 12, Kit Siang cautioned that it nevertheless will be a powerful referendum whether Malaysia can be saved and become great again.
Nevertheless, he stressed the need to be wary of unsubstantiated claims by the opposition front, the latest being former foreign minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah hitting out at (caretaker) Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari for failing to realise the vision of a “super state”.
“The Bersatu leader created waves at a pre-election rally when he said Perikatan Nasional (PN) will ensure Selangor is developed to its full potential if the coalition wins the state and compared Selangor to Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong,” noted Malaysia’s longest serving Opposition (29 years over three separate occasions).
“Does Saifuddin know what he is talking about? Singapore’s GDP (gross domestic product) per capita is among the highest the world – US$67,360 (RM306,480) while Selangor’s GDP per capita is less than Penang at RM59,908.
“Penang GDP per capita is four times that of Kelantan. We want Kelantan to be like Penang and not Penang like Kelantan.” – July 17, 2023
