By Umar Mukhtar
LAST night, at a safe house in Jalan Bellamy, Kuala Lumpur, apparently the near future of this country was sealed; with enough Umno MPs turning “frogs” to help out the embattled Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin.
Or so crowed a pseudo-intellectual in the name of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan.
About 24 to 30, out of 38 Umno MPs, are planning to side-step their party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is trying to get the lawmakers to sign statutory declarations (SD) to withdraw their support from the Perikatan Nasional Government.
Rumour has it that Zahid’s opponents are planning to become independent MPs, but in support of Perikatan and keep Mahiaddin as the prime minister.
So, what motivated these “frogs” to support an incompetent Government, apparently hated by most ordinary Malaysians?
The answers are not rocket science. Two principal reasons are as follows:
Position and power
These people hunger for lucrative positions, which now comes under Mahiaddin’s administration. Besides, maintaning an outspoken wife in Paris is not cheap!
All other excuses are nothing but theatrics to justify a simple act of betrayal of the rakyat’s mandate.
No Anwar or DAP, at all costs!
It also about keeping PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his ally DAP out of federal power, using any means necessary. Meritocracy can go to hell!
What I do not understand is why the infamous Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, the “traitor-architect” of the Sheraton Move, is more desirable than Anwar?
That sort of underscores their reasons as being self-interest, rather than anything loftier.
Bear in mind, once the general election is called, these self-serving politicians will face the wrath of voters and Umno members themselves for their treachery.
To save Umno from its downward spiral, it is time leaders like Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, vice president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and others step up.
The trouble with such a grand old party, is that its newbies may not have the credibility to match its past greats like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Hussein Onn.
As it is, I think Bersatu may try to “swallow” Umno. Perhaps Mahiaddin may give way to allow Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to lead the new entity created after the Bersatu0-Umno “merger”.
But will Hishammuddin win Umno’s presidency hands down? With Zahid up there, it will be a walkover. The Bagan Datuk MP has shown that he is nothing but hot air!
As for the “grand old man of Umno”, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, I guess only a deputy prime minister-ship for his son will keep him quiet until he kicks the bucket! – July 4, 2021
Umar Mukhtar is a contributor for FocusM.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
