New Year Wish A Pm For All Malaysians

---

 


 My New Year wish is for Malaysia to be ruled by a prime minister for all Malaysians, and not just a PM for the Malays.
The longest-serving former PM who became our PM for a second time was merely a seat warmer for the man who was desperate to be PM, Anwar Ibrahim. Having tasted power once again, Dr Mahathir Mohamad refused to step down and was instead ousted in a political coup.
However, his replacement was a man who proudly boasted that he was “Malay first”. He was ineffective and when he resigned, another Malay who reluctantly took his place, was fortunately our shortest serving PM.
As PM, Mahathir knew what he wanted and even told the Malays that he knew what they wanted, even though many of them did not know it at the time.
He sowed the seeds of division, reinforced affirmative action policies, and the problems of institutionalised racism which we are currently cursed with.
Mahathir also told the non-Malays that he knew what they wanted, but he denied them the opportunities. This forced most of them to go overseas to fulfil their ambitions.
No excuses
For someone who waited 24 years to be PM and had all this time to prepare for the premiership, Anwar sometimes acts as if he is unprepared for the role.
It is not that he lacks political experience. He has spent a lifetime waiting to be PM and we cannot make excuses for him, saying that he is not aware of what he was getting himself into.
Worse still, his apologists claim that his hands are tied. No, they are not!
He is the PM and the most powerful man in the nation. What we see is that he cherry-picks the issues he considers safe and sidesteps those he thinks are problematic. That is not leadership. That is pussyfooting cowardice.
Malaysians, including the Malays, know a leader when they see one and avoiding sensitive issues shows that he is just another opportunist PM.
Anwar claims that he will be the PM for all Malaysians, but giving the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) billions of ringgits to prop up the organisation and telling us that a Jakim official will be involved in national policy is unacceptable.
He knows the state of our education system, but instead of taking the crucial first steps in a complete overhaul of the system, we have more religious education rammed down our throats. Is it any wonder many Malay parents send their children to vernacular and international schools for a well-rounded, science, technology, engineering and mathematics education?
He promised social justice, an end to corruption and a transparent government. He led street protests, ignited the need for change in most of us, and gave us hope, but all these promises have come to nought.
After his swearing-in as PM in November 2022, Anwar said, “I sense the people’s strong desire for change and to see Malaysia progress in a new direction.”
Today, few people believe him.
What has changed?
In 2018, after the 14th general election, we thought we were rid of the corrupt party, Umno-Baru but today, its senior leaders have important roles.
We thought many of them would be jailed for corruption, but today, they occupy very commanding positions in Anwar’s Madani administration, with many allegedly corrupt politicians either fully acquitted or granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, and political funding is a euphemism for corruption.
The unity government convention held in May 2023The convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak was jailed but he has successfully managed to get his fine reduced, his jail term decreased, a possible house arrest and his income tax payments delayed.
Anwar said it had nothing to do with him, that it was either the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Pardons Board; never him! He is the PM but notice how he dodges the important issues.
He was desperate to become PM but once installed, became a globetrotter spending more time overseas than sorting out domestic issues. He has indeed made a miraculous recovery, from his prison days when he was practically immobile from back pain.
No one begrudges him for helping the Palestinians but airlifting them and offering their teenagers free education have upset many Malaysians who deserve to be helped first.
He wooed the Taliban and our Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said it was to “open the eyes” of the Taliban rulers and school them on restoring the rights of women to education. Really?
Fadhlina SidekFrom what we observe, perhaps the Taliban’s influence on us is more immediate. Today, Malaysia will hold its first public caning. What’s next? Public stoning to death of women who have committed adultery? Executions in football stadiums like they do in Afghanistan?
Right to criticise
The PM’s apologists have tried to excuse his many weaknesses and have instead blamed his critics, including Bersih, for Anwar’s unpopularity. The rakyat have every right to criticise Anwar if they think he is wrong.
The sycophants’ ridiculous claim is that criticising their beloved leader will encourage more Malaysians to reject Anwar at GE16.
Truth be told, Anwar is doing a brilliant job by himself and does not need anyone to bring him down. His poor governance and judgment, increased curbs on media freedom, and his inability to comprehend the suffering of the marginalised are his fault and his alone.
A PM for all Malaysians will have a clear vision for the multicultural country and stand by his principles despite the challenging circumstances and pressure to compromise. - 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.

---