PRIME Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has implied that Perikatan Nasional (PN)’s election funds party came from gaming companies involved in special draws.
Will any one of the 46 PAS MPs resign in protest that their election to Parliament was funded by gambling?
It is indeed shocking that the previous PN government led by Bersatu and PAS had increased the frequency of special draws from eight per year to 22 – a decision made in late 2020.
I welcome the decision by Anwar as Finance Minister to reduce the number of special draws to eight per year from January next month.
Anwar had started his administration on the right footing in securing the agreement of his Cabinet Ministers to take a 20% pay cut to their monthly salaries until the economy recovers in three years’ time.
Anwar’s appointment as PM on Nov 24 has seen the stock market and the ringgit reacting positively and this must be sustained.
One major difference between the first Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in 2018 and the unity government in 2022 is that the former had never thought that its five-year mandate could be truncated and toppled after 22 months, while the unity government under Anwar must be fully aware and conscious that it could be toppled any time.
This was made clear by Arau MP Shahidan Kassim who said in the Padang Serai by-election campaign that plans are underway to ensure that Anwar’s cabinet will not last long and PN – with PAS holding the most number of Parliament seats as an individual party – will assume federal power.
The unity government should build on the work done by the first PH government in 22 months to prepare for institutional reforms to reset nation-building policies and return to the aspiration of the nation’s founding fathers which included the first four UMNO presidents.
Elsewhere, the Conference of Rulers’ proposal for the Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC) to be free of influence from the prime minister should be applauded.
The idea of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir for the removal of the PM’s power to appoint JAC members would ensure that its composition does not carry the interests of any party.
There are clear signs that Malaysia is restoring an independent judiciary after three decades of judicial darkness, and this trend should be encouraged. – Dec 6, 2022
Retired DAP supremo and veteran lawmaker Lim Kit Siang was the former Iskandar Puteri MP.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
