Editor’s Note: In the run-up to the 2013 national poll, former Pekan UMNO information chief Datuk Mohamad Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz came to prominence as a much-followed blogger under the name “Sakmongkol AK47”.
In early 2012, the former Pahang state assemblyman for Pulau Manis from 2004 to 2008 – alongside another prominent blogger Aspan Alias – left UMNO to join DAP, citing UMNO’s failure to eradicate corruption and increase the livelihood of Malays in general.
DAP fielded him for the parliamentary seat of Raub in the 13th General Election (GE13) which he won but was only able to serve for one term.
He suffered a stroke in May 2017, hence did not seek a second term re-election for his Raub parliamentary seat in the 2018 general election. But at 66 today, he still lives up to his billing as a controversial yet insightful blogger. Enjoy his latest piece.
I DON’T agree with Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on several things. As I see it, he is prone to being drowned in his own rhetoric. His debate on the Sapura Energy Bhd issue was wanting.
But the things that I agree with him far outweigh those that I don’t. The things that I don’t serve as a hurdle preventing me from giving unconditional support. If he has persuasive arguments, it’s mad if I don’t support him.
His unflinching adherence to principles is very commendable. Wasn’t it Thomas Jefferson who said, “on matters of style, swim with the current; on matters of principle stand like rock”.
He could have become the Prime Minister (PM) had he agreed to the conditions put by Ali babavum Najib (incarcerated former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak).
Had he succumbed to the pleadings of Najib, Anwar would have become just a stooge. At once manipulated and pliable. He stands like a rock; unmoved by the seductive persuasions of Mr Red Lips.
Choose the right man
Who do we choose? The corrupt and corruptible or people like Anwar? Do like John Quincy Adams said: “Vote for principles, though you may vote alone”.
His motto of being anti-corruption, anti-abuse of power and anti-wastage strikes a resonance with many of us. Allow him to actually do them.
Let us see beyond personalities and outward appearance. Anwar has showed substance. What matters to us are principles. And these are free enterprise, rule of law and treating everyone as equals before the law.
We now want his vision for Malaysia. Other than the above, is he ready to appoint people based on merit? Will he eliminate positioning people using the ascribed status? That one’s professional destiny is preordained by race, sex and familial ties?
Let us hope he is determined to implement pragmatic policies. Not the ones tied to particular ideologies or theories or even irrational racist theory, but policies whose acid test is only does this policy work and produce the desired results?
For example, Bumiputraism which rears its ugly head in many of our policies are actually counter-productive – abandon them. Choose another policy.
Finally, let us desire of him, to place HONESTY as the underlying principle behind every decision. Let’s put honest leadership at every level in our society.
Dishonest people who are proven by law – no matter who they are – ex-PM, ministers, judges, heads of department, etc will be jailed
In a sermon by one Frederick Lewis Donaldson at Westminster Abbey in 1925, he mentioned seven deadly social sins.
One of the seven sins he mentioned was “politics without principles”. Now, Anwar Ibrahim, Pak Sheikh, Brother Anwar, Abang Nun, is a man of principle. Choose him! – Nov 7, 2022
