Anwar S Remarks About Muhyiddin Exposed Pm S True Colours

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 Why did Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim make those contentious remarks about opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin, whom he claimed supported petrol subsidies for foreigners?
There are many things about Muhyiddin, who is also the Perikatan Nasional chairperson, that I disagree with, but Anwar’s allegations about Muhyiddin are troubling.
Many Malaysians may think that this is just another spat between the two men in Parliament. It is not!
Few political veterans, including Anwar, do and say things blindly. They must plan ahead, keep on top of the game, and know how to survive in the political cesspit.
Their words will have been carefully chosen. They are acutely aware that words can be weaponised in parliament. The Dewan Rakyat is the battlefield where a war of words is constantly in motion.
This time, Anwar has gone too far.
Prime Minister Anwar IbrahimHis allegations, which were meant to discredit Muhyiddin and tar him in the eyes of the Malaysian public, have backfired. Ironically, it is Anwar’s reputation which has been severely damaged.
The remarks have exposed Anwar’s true colours and the depths that he is prepared to sink to score political points against his political opponents.
For those of us, the ordinary members of the rakyat, who keep tabs on what is going on in the political world, not because we want to and have nothing else to do, but because it is our duty to keep the politicians on their toes and make them accountable for their actions. We are now left wondering whether Anwar has lied again.
It is worth noting that this fact has also not escaped Malaysiakini’s news editor, Zikri Kamarulzaman, who wrote, “Has Anwar lied in Parliament?” The news portal has also been unable to trace any remarks made by Muhyiddin on fuel subsidies for foreigners.
The doubters out there need only recall the denials by Anwar about the convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak’s house arrest and addendum, or the convoluted manner in which the PM tried to lie about the charge of nepotism when it was first exposed in January 2023.
Most importantly, Anwar’s failure to implement the promised reforms is one big fat lie to the rakyat. We have been lied to on more than one occasion. The one about Muhyiddin is his latest untruth.
Prime minister’s remarks centre around fuel subsidiesAnwar’s allegations against Muhyiddin reveal his weakness and insecurity. His own political position is unstable. His government was built on shaky foundations, and having a tainted senior Umno-Baru politician as his deputy is a serious flaw.
He has given in to most of Umno-Baru’s demands. His ally, DAP, suffers from severe lockjaw, and some of Anwar’s Islamic policies make us think PAS is ruling by proxy.
Parliament attack shows political cowardice
Malaysians are not stupid, and having experienced successive decrepit administrations has only honed our political senses.
Anwar is disingenuous in that he knows the cost of living crisis is hurting us, and so, the remarks about Muhyiddin, supporting petrol subsidies for foreigners, were meant to humiliate the opposition leader. If he cannot find facts to use against Muhyiddin, then untruths would do.
He is aware that there is nothing Muhyiddin can do to him, like sue him for defamation, because these allegations were made in Parliament. He is cunning enough to use parliamentary immunity for self-protection.
The PM may think that he is smart, but to the rest of us, it is a sign of cowardice.
Would he dare to utter these remarks outside of Parliament? Of course, he would not. He cannot afford another lawsuit. He has managed to postpone the one made by his former aide, Yusoff Rawther.
One can see from the exchanges in Parliament that Muhyiddin is visibly upset. He said that it was a sin to lie, and we know that most MPs, unless they only have half a brain, realise that Anwar has hit below the belt.
Anwar is protected in more ways than one. First is parliamentary immunity, and second is the speaker.
Although making false accusations in Parliament is a disciplinary offence, the speaker probably would not initiate disciplinary proceedings. Johari Abdul is loyal to Anwar, and the two men share a long history.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari AbdulMoreover, many of the lily-livered MPs would never contemplate a debate that questions the allegations about the PM. Concern for their rice bowls and not the rakyat, is their priority.
The Madani administration practices double standards. The communications minister, his MCMC, and the police are quick to trace those who criticise the government, accuse them of spreading fake news, and punish them by taking them to court. Conversely, the public does not enjoy the privilege of parliamentary immunity, unlike the MPs and the PM.
The allegations also show that Anwar has scrutinised his plan of attack against the opposition leader. Those who are serious about political survival always have strategies which may not be entirely ethical. Forget about apologising, as the word is not in Anwar’s vocabulary.
Disappointingly, many Malaysians have targeted Muhyiddin and demanded that he reveal the whereabouts of his son-in-law for alleged corruption. They “can’t see the wood for the trees” or perhaps, a better expression is possibly, “Gajah di pelupuk mata tak nampak, semut di seberang lautan nampak” (To see the speck in someone else’s eye, but not the log in your own).
Lying about another MP and hiding behind parliamentary immunity is a serious matter. It is also moral cowardice. - Mkini
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, X.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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