THERE is no need to rope in the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on the timing of the 15th General Elections (GE15).It is not DAP that is pressuring him to hold the GE15 as soon as possible. The pressure is coming from his party men in UMNO. The question of disrespect to the King does not arise in the first place.Ultimately, it is the Agong who will declare the date of the GE15 on the advice of Ismail Sabri. This is an undisputed constitutional approach that must be adhered to.I am not sure whether Ismail Sabri was admonishing the DAP or the UMNO cluster leaders in calling for the general election.DAP has never pressured him. In fact, I would think that the party would prefer GE15 to be held in the immediate aftermath of the full electoral term. The views of the DAP on the timing of the GE15 is diametrically opposite to those in the UMNO court cluster.I take it that remarks made by Ismail Sabri was not supposed to be directed against DAP but against those UMNO leaders in the court cluster.But why target the DAP when the real culprits are those in UMNO? Is Ismail Sabri afraid to confront the UMNO members in the court cluster?What is he afraid of?
Is he telling the individuals in the court cluster that it is not him but the Agong who must decide on the date of the actual GE15?Is DAP the favourite “whipping boy” of Ismail Sabri? The DAP has no high expectations of Ismail Sabri who speaks and acts like a “zombie”.But as the Prime Minister of the country with the larger interest of the people in mind under the trying social and economic circumstances, DAP expects him to think and act in more altruistic terms.Ismail Sabri should have the gall to tell off those corrupt and greedy UMNO leaders not to pressure him.I am surprised that he even lacks the elementary temerity to tell those who are pressuring him to cease their incessant calls. There is no necessity for Ismail to shift the responsibility to the Agong when he is the one who would be advising the monarch.“Zombieism” of Ismail must stop before more damages befell on the country. — June 6, 2022
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
