YOURSAY | ‘Dr M, please honour your word to this man who forgave you for the wrongs you did him.’
Vijay47: Like many similarly naïve others, my vision was blinkered and I refused to watch the moving finger and read the writing on the wall.
My comforting self-induced assurance was that when a leader has reached his mid-90s and savouring his twilight years with great-grandchildren on his knees, his main and in fact only concern would be that he bequeathed a legacy to his country for his descendants to proudly say “Mahathir Mohamad was one without equal.”
Thus, it was with great expectations that I followed his speech on TV. The opening apology heartened me even more as it revealed a man of humility acknowledging weakness and fault.
I was certain not only admitting to possible errors in action, interim prime minister Mahathir was going to repair the damage done to his image when he steadfastly refused to hand over the mantle to PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim as promised – Mahathir was going to set that right and announce that the baton was being passed to Anwar.
Slowly doubt began to creep in. An act of contrition is worth its salt only if pronounced with sincerity. This was not forthcoming.
Instead, there was strange talk about discarding party affiliation, the members of his government wherever they may come from would be chosen by him and him alone. In Mahathir’s book, Anwar did not exist. Worse, Caesar had discontinued the republic and anointed himself emperor. But to what end?
Ultimately, the prime minister is not decided in the Palace but in the House. Mahathir must still survive the vote of confidence and it is this very test that would create strife and discord, contrary to what he piously said he was offering us.
Anwar would be waiting for him and this time without kid-gloves but rather decked in gauntlet and chain-mail. Surely, he would have already embarked on his own brand of negotiations just like you must have, Mahathir.
Or is your hatred of Anwar so consuming that you would prefer to deal with the many satans wooing you instead of accomplishing what honour dictates?
How ironic, Mahathir, how doubly tragic that on this Wednesday of all Wednesdays you have scorched a people’s aspirations to ash.
Quigonbond: Mahathir is still keeping his cards close to his chest. He already predicts rightly that many will reject his current proposed unity government devoid of political party line.
I think he knows it won't work. All you have is a bunch of managers who could, within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government, execute policies, within the confines (and restrictions) of current laws.
Any change of law will be subject to intense debate between rival factions in Parliament that a lot of time will be wasted to design law reform only to be buried. So how is that exactly going to fix the ails of the nation?
So what is he thinking? Late last night and this morning, Pakatan Harapan MPs seem cheerful and confident. Are they still? It is entirely possible they may not enter the cabinet at all, or they find themselves working with their political enemies within the cabinet. Now, how's that going to work?
Even the formation of the cabinet itself is going to be problematic. You are going to appoint senators to Dewan Negara, right? But the composition depends on who controls what states and on availability.
For me, it’s better for Harapan to work on a long-term relationship with another party - the best fit appears to be GPS and Warisan.
If they cannot pull it off, they are surrendering the nation to be run rather undemocratically by one man for the next three years. If this is not dictatorship, I don't know what is. But the game of thrones is still early.
Anonymous_7180953: Mahathir, please go. You made a promise to a man whom you wrongly jailed, tortured, humiliated and nearly destroyed his family. He lost so many years of his life which are forever gone.
In his love, he forgave you and gave you a chance to lead his reformation to share his dreams. He gave you a chance to redeem the damage you caused this country and its people.
Yet despite this, you refuse to keep your promise. Why are you so evil? Please honour your word to this man who forgave you for the wrongs you did him. Let him have his moment in the light after years of being in the darkness you put him in.
Apa Ini: Mahathir, be kind to yourself first and allow democracy to take its course without further casting more stones into the water. Many still choose to give you the benefit of the doubt, that you are doing your best to stay principled by rejecting Umno.
That is not enough even if it is one principle in your favour. Move on and work with the rakyat's GE14 vote. They got you there, you must respect their mandate above every other consideration.
Mazilamani: I will be happy if Mahathir can form a unity government. If the politicians can come together for the larger interest of the people and country, this will be the biggest unexpected victory for the people of Malaysia.
This will trigger a domino change in so many fields and sectors. To cite a few. It will effect us to think as Malaysians. Employers will start drawing the best talents to key positions uninfluenced by race. The mindset and attitude in the teaching profession will undergo tremendous positive changes.
School is where all the divisive and destructive input begin. Let children grow up knowing unconditional love at home and schools. Let the country go through total transformation for the present generation and for those that follow. I wish the PM the very best in his endeavour.
Anonymous_1534474708: Mahathir, the game is up. Just denounce those who attempted the coup, let Anwar form his government and stay on as a senior and respected advisor.
The promise needs to be kept and the goodwill from keeping the promise will filter down and benefit ordinary Malaysians. We will become people who keep our word instead of being backstabbing liars.
It’s all in your hands, Mahathir. Please do the right thing and be seen to be doing the right thing
Mo Saladin: As much I wish Malaysia would be a better place if national interest can be prioritised instead of partisan politics, I know it can't be done with this waving-the-magic-wand speech by Mahathir, poorly designed to soothe our raw nerves now.
Especially without specifics of what needs to be done. Especially after the spectacle of horrid betrayal, political opportunism and self-interest laid bare for all of us to digest.
So it best that the interim prime minister understands that his messiah complex and "I can fix it" rhetoric holds no currency until we know why he allowed Harapan to implode.
Prudent: Mahathir bullsh**ted when he said that he will allow Parliament to decide the transition and come back if Parliament still supported him. The GE14 manifesto is for him to step aside for Anwar and the understanding is in two years’ time maximum.
Mahathir could had given way to Anwar the same way he made way for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003 and all could have gone smoothly.
Instead he is seen to have played Machiavellian politics of divide and rule, playing one party against another and widening the schism in PKR in order to perpetuate his tenure as the PM and renege on his promise.
Mahathir must forget his concept of a unity government as it is another Mahathirian eyewash to perpetrate Mahathirism ad infinitum. Such a 'unity' government would be based on Mahathir's neo-divide and rule which is nothing new.
Anonymous_3f4b: The unity government will not work. A composite team of individual cabinet members from different parties not with the same platform and ideology, different and disparate interests and support base catering to different vested groups will collapse anytime.
It is better to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections and let the people decide once and for all.
Asitis: The more former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and his gang speak, the more they insult our intelligence. Just stop talking already.
Whatever you say now will not alter the ill-perception that the people have of you after your betrayal. If anything, your words will only serve to enhance your ill-repute. You've made your bed, now lie on it.
Anonymous_f9ff4347: It's hard to believe Azmin did all these without the old man knowing. How do you explain the next day Azmin went to old man's house in the early morning? And how do you explain why all 26 Bersatu are asked to support old man now?
And how do you explain why the Azmin 11 reportedly joining Bersatu? It's easy to see all the dots lining up now.
MS: The only thing left is for the Agong to revoke Mahathir’s interim role and to install the one with the most number of MPs backing him.
Otherwise, we are back to a post-May 13 National Operations Council (NOC) type of administration which the mendacious monster will use to hoist his gormless son into the PM’s seat.
Maybe the time is now right for the Conference of Rulers to save the day given that the coot has decided to abuse his interim status granted by the palace. - Mkini
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