An interesting view on GE13 by Sakmongkol AK47

By Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz

DEC 14 — About my having big time grudges or even hating Anwar Ibrahim, let me say this: Just how do you arrive at that judgment?

Because I don’t write good things about him? Some of these PKR diehards must have a short memory. If they go into my archives, they will see that Umno people are accusing me of being pro-Anwar.

One of them must also be the vermin who insisted that I hate Anwar whenever I wrote something unflattering or not advantageous to Anwar. I advise them, if they want to see the real hate writings on Anwar, to go visit the extreme pro-Umno bloggers.


Nothing personal against Anwar. To me, he remains the crowd puller who can captivate the masses with his mesmerizing oratory. He can call the birds in the trees to his palms. But I don’t fancy Anwar as PM because of (a) his duplicity and deceiving nature, he wears too many masks; and (2) he can be compromised.

I am stating what I see as the possible outcome of post GE13. Anwar has been committed to jail by then. On the steps of Parliament, Anwar told someone whom I know very well, that the government is bent on jailing him. He himself is convinced he will go to jail. We shall wait.

As to the next person in line to become the new PM, who sets the hierarchy? If PKR does not come out with the largest number of seats among DAP, PAS and PKR, how does one arrive at the ranking?

Ini bukan suka suka mahu taruh Anwar jadi PM. He can’t be PM without the concurrence of DAP and PAS.

Let’s examine DAP and PAS. DAP and PAS are more interested to oust the Umno/BN government, less with the idea that Anwar MUST be the next PM. I hope PKR people get this into their cool heads.

PAS and DAP can live together because they are committed to the bigger picture, which is seeing the BN out. PKR’s big picture, it seems to me, is to see Anwar installed as PM. Hence, the “we will break prison walls” mindset. This isn’t about Anwar, brother…

As for PAS and DAP, they can’t accept anyone from either party becoming PM. I think PAS knows its limitations. They have the material suited to be anything but the PM. Nizar or no Nizar. He’s an MB material for now.

DAP can’t accept any PAS leader to become PM, not on account of religion (the personal views of Karpal Singh notwithstanding), but because of fears that Malaysia will regress. Now, we may not agree with this assessment, but how DAP sees things appear to have adherents especially among the Chinese in general. The Chinese in general will be troubled at the idea of having a Mullah heading the country.

Why can’t they accept Anwar? Because they can’t afford to have a person who has just gone through a blackened period, to be the immediate PM. Perhaps later, when Anwar is fully rehabilitated in the eyes of the public.

The views held by Anwaristas are immaterial at the moment. The voters are more important. The Anwar supporters must also come to terms that maybe they have to take one step backwards to save their leader.

And also because they (DAP and PAS) have other reasons I am not at liberty to divulge. Why is Hassan Ali, a close comrade in arms with Anwar Ibrahim since varsity days, breaking ranks with Anwar? The talks of his willingness to be the bridge for unity between PAS and Umno show that, to him, Anwar is a non-factor already.

So, PAS, DAP and even some sections of the PKR leadership and even those in Umno who are waiting in the wings, are looking out for someone with the standing, stature and respect as the next PM. My own view is that the only person fitting the bill is Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Why Tengku Razaleigh?

Because it’s important for the Pakatan to gain allegiance and support of the 20 per cent in fence-sitter votes. This section of the public has a different psychology. They want to know who the next PM is.

Is the next PM going to be more acceptable than the present one? They want certainty and some confidence in the person. That person must have the substance, experience, standing and respect all around.

Furthermore, the fence sitters who constitute some 20 per cent of voters will demand to see some clarity. These are mostly apolitical and can be persuaded only if the person designated has the qualities and the wherewithal to become PM.

If we put Anwar up, they may as well say, if the thing isn’t broken, why fix it? Whether we like it or not, the 20 per cent of fence sitter voters are not exactly enamoured with the idea of having Anwar as PM. They might as well stick with Najib.

Tengku Razaleigh is too old. Well, Dr Mahathir Mohamad remained PM until nearly 80. Deng Xiaoping became leader of China in his late 70s. Many leaders become head of states at late ages. They have the stamina and wisdom and the experience.

Malaysia is in need of someone of that stature. There’s no past tense when it comes to political relevancy and making sense.

Didn’t I read that Dr Mahathir says, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it? Only if we are sentimental fools. We are not going to be romantics dreaming of a perfect past in order to perpetuate all the negatives that are associated with the past.

The salad and halcyon days perpetrated during the Mahathir era is now over. Of course Dr Mahathir wants a return to his era where everything is more or less decided by him. That presupposes the existence of a leader like him — non inclusive and iron willed.

Najib does not have those qualities. Neither does he have the qualities to convince Umno people the virtues of his liberal ideas.

Moreover Dr Mahathir clearly has some vested interests. Maybe he’s looking out for the business interests of his children, that of his close friends; protectable, it seems, only by some sympathetic and beholden government. So better Najib than anyone else. Anyway, that will be debated in other essays.

There’s a practical side also as to why Tengku Razaleigh is the ultimate play maker for the Pakatan Rakyat people if the bigger picture is to oust Umno and the BN government. The bigger picture is, I repeat once more, to secure the interest of the country, not to secure the interest of one Anwar Ibrahim.

It’s for better and participative democracy, the rule of law, disciplined and better governance. Let’s also agree on the idea to establish a Truth Commission, like the one put in place by Nelson Mandela to review the excesses of, say, the last 30 years. Maybe such an idea spooks Dr Mahathir, no?

What’s the practicality of the idea to have Tengku Razaleigh as the front man? What is Umno’s latest weapon now? It’s the cultivation of the royal houses in the country. If PKR isn’t blind, they will see where the HRH Sultan of Selangor is going with his majesty’s overt political tones.

Umno is now working overtime to drum in this fallacious idea that, if others come into power, the very future of the Royal houses — the symbol of Malay existence — will be wiped out.

How can Pakatan neutralise this powerful idea? By having someone from the royal line to talk to the rulers. Who can talk to the rulers on equal terms other than Tengku Razaleigh? He’s royalty himself and commands respect and deference among the royal houses.

Tengku Razaleigh will represent the second coming of a Tunku Abdul Rahman figure, but this time, putting Malaysia on the right footing. —