VETERAN journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has brushed aside speculations that newly minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would ever appoint UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as his deputy or any government post for that matter.
“But if he does, he would be performing a hara-kiri (ritual Japanese honourable suicide). He would lose the support of his own supporters and drive away fence sitters who are beginning to warm up to him,” opined the former Bersatu supreme council member turned Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporter in his latest Facebook post.
“He had made a positive inroad into the hearts of the people with his popular moves like not taking the PM salary, refusing to use a brand-new Mercedes Benz S Class bought by the previous government and promising to reduce the size of his Cabinet drastically.”
But if the Tambun-elect MP chooses to “bring his old friend into the Cabinet”, Kadir warned that he would “with a stroke of a pen, jeopardise his growing image as a reformist and one who stands for good governance, transparency and accountability”.
Moreover, Kadir stressed that any decision to include people with questionable character would be an affront to the sensibilities of all Malaysians who supported the PH in the last two general elections in the belief that the coalition would provide a clean government.
“The BN would not have done so badly in two consecutive general elections had it been led by trustworthy leaders,” suggested Kadir who was the former editor-in-chief for mainstream newspaper New Straits Times.
“So let’s pray and hope that Anwar would choose to prioritise the people’s interest and country’s integrity over short-term political consideration and self-interest. Having comes this far, he shouldn’t throw away this golden opportunity,” added Kadir. – Nov 29, 2022
