PERGI MAMPUSLAH PAKATAN RAKYAT!

Today, Anwar is lamenting about the lack of freedom and how the students are being barred from inviting him to speak in the universities. Was that not what I asked him for 30 years ago, more freedom for the students? And was this not what he disagreed with, more freedom for the students? So why is he grumbling today?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

A reader asked me why I no longer do exposes regarding abuse of power, corruption, and so on, like I used to. What this reader meant is why do I no longer whack the government.

Actually, I no longer see any point in that sort of exercise because no one really bothers about abuse of power, corruption and whatnot, unless it serves a political agenda. Before Malaysia Today revealed the highway project called KIDEX, no one had heard about it. And Malaysia Today revealed it one year before the project was signed.

Malaysia Today gave all the details regarding KIDEX plus the people behind the project. In fact, those involved even issued a statement confirming the whole thing. But there was no response from the public or from the opposition. There was total silence.

Then, one year later, the contract was signed. Only then did the opposition jump onto the bandwagon, after it was a fait accompli. Why not raise this issue a year before that, before the contract was signed? Why scream only after the contract is signed and when it is too late to do anything about it?

The opposition could have tried to block the project, or at least get the terms changed to be more favourable to the rakyat. But they did not. They kept quiet for one year and allowed the project to go on and only after it is done they start screaming.

In short, the opposition wanted KIDEX to go on so that they could use it as a political issue. If it was blocked and did not happen then it would not be a political issue.

I doubt the sincerity of the opposition in fighting abuse of power and corruption. Do they really want to see abuse of power and corruption eliminated or are they happy it exists so that the opposition has something to scream about? If there is no abuse of power and corruption then the opposition will be bankrupted of issues.

Take Selangor as one example. Back in 2010 I already highlighted the weaknesses in the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor government. I even published documents to support my allegation.

Pakatan Rakyat then called me a liar and alleged that I had been ‘bought’ (they did not deny that the documents were authentic). They challenged me to return to Malaysia with the evidence and even offered to pay for my trip back to Malaysia, knowing I cannot do that for obvious reasons.

Then, four years later, after openly and publicly declaring that Khalid Ibrahim is the cleanest Menteri Besar in Selangor’s history, they expose all the alleged weaknesses and transgressions in the Selangor state government administration and allege all sorts of improprieties, abuse of power, corruption and whatnot.

Just four years earlier they called me a liar. Then they allege all sorts of things that were wrong with the Selangor state government. Are they, therefore, saying I did not lie? How can I have been lying in 2010 when four years later they allege the same thing?

So now there is something wrong with Selangor after all, when just four years earlier there was nothing wrong. And one of the things that is wrong is KIDEX, which I revealed one year before it happened and which they did nothing about for a couple of years.

As I said, it is a total waste of time talking about abuse of power and corruption when there is no sincerity in fighting it, whether it is Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

The ‘hot issue’ today is regarding Universiti Malaya and how there is no freedom of speech and how Anwar Ibrahim is barred from speaking within the university grounds and so on.

Around 30 years ago, when Anwar was the Education Minister, I wrote him a long letter regarding a few issues. My cousin, Walter Salmon, was in my office in Kuala Terengganu at that time and even helped me correct my English. (Remember that event Wally? You changed my use of ‘mankind’ to ‘humankind’ to be more gender correct.)

I then went to meet Anwar in his office and he told me, “Phew, that was a very long letter indeed.” We then discussed the issues I had raised in that letter.

As I said, there were many issues. And one of those many issues was about freedom of speech and how university students should be allowed certain freedoms, including the freedom to speak out against the government.

But Anwar was not receptive to these ideas. He felt that by allowing too much freedom the opposition, which was already gaining ground, would penetrate the universities and turn the students against the government.

Yes, that is right, when Anwar was in the government and holding the post of Education Minister, he did not think it was a good idea to allow the students too much freedom because this will just help the opposition.

Today, Anwar is lamenting about the lack of freedom and how the students are being barred from inviting him to speak in the universities. Was that not what I asked him for 30 years ago, more freedom for the students? And was this not what he disagreed with, more freedom for the students? So why is he grumbling today?

I have given up with this ‘cause’? In fact, I gave up four years ago when they made it very clear the opposition does not welcome criticism. And today they are saying the same thing as what I said all those years. And when I said that Pakatan Rakyat’s so-called ‘solidarity’ and ‘agree to disagree’ and ‘consensus’ is bullshit and is built on quicksand they allege that I am a government agent.

And, today, even Lim Kit Siang admits that this is true without saying, ‘this is precisely what Raja Petra Kamarudin has been saying all these years and which we whacked him for saying it’.

Pergi mampuslah Pakatan Rakyat!