No silver lining in our politics

 

There is an age-old Chinese saying that best suits the ambiguous sentiment prompted by the recent political shenanigans in Perak: "Don't know whether to laugh or cry."

His dignity wouldn't have allowed Sultan Nazrin Shah to cry, but he made it clear that a third change of state political leadership in two-and-a-half years was no laughing matter, but a failure of leadership.

The sultan evoked a cast of characters who may seem melodramatically coloured – greedy, two-faced, self-serving people, whispering praise, concealing motives – except that his portrait rings true as having been soberly, sadly considered. Malaysians have had too, too many examples to not be believers that such low-lives exist.

The whole episode was a classic farce - remove Ahmad Faizal Azumu as menteri besar with an embarrassing slap-in-the-face for the Bersatu majority.

Bersatu, understandably, was in a blue funk and wouldn't want to be near an Umno-led government, so Umno made it clear it was open to an understanding with all parties… Oops, just a minute, we will cooperate with all parties, always with the good of the people in mind and their desire for a stable government (unsaid: because the sultan said we didn't have the numbers), except for the dastardly DAP.

Nga Kor Ming

Ah, if only Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming had been wary that Umno would modify its stance from day to day like the government modifies its Covid-19 standard operating procedures, he would not have been so ready to extend the hand of friendship to Umno. "Okay, I will be your friend. Sorry, I don't want to friend you."

The embarrassing handshake of friendship not taken, compounded by dissent within the ranks of DAP and its followers. DAP attempts to draw a fine line between working with a government and rejecting any consorting with the corrupt.

Where is that line drawn when Umno still has, in its membership, a few still facing charges, one convicted, but free and appealing (in more ways than one), and one not acquitted, but discharged to feel free?

The impasse was resolved with a "sorry" from Barisan Nasional chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and the occasion formalised with the three leaders signing a document promising universal peace and brotherhood. Really?!

PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad dismissed the importance and impact of this "little storm in a teacup". I would like to agree with him – it was a squall stirred up in the teacup because so many hands had their spoons in it – but this "little storm", the third in a swift series, means nobody has been at the helm looking after the "little people" during these trying times.

No sooner was this sandiwara played out (in more ways than one), idling political minds were revving up, floating evanescent pipe-dreams, staking out the ground for the next skirmish.

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin summoned a glowing vision of a PN/BN/GPS United, the mother of all coalitions, to trounce the opposition in the next general election.

Mohamed Khaled Nordin

Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin didn't think much of the idea. It's just Bersatu riding on the coat-tail of Umno. "Everyone knows that it is a political strategy aimed at borrowing the strength of the biggest party and not to get genuine support from the people."

It sticks in Umno's craw that they have more seats than Bersatu but are not top dogs. The general election can't come quick enough to get rid of the last shreds of their grudging subservience.

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition leaders didn't think much of the idea too. Why should they? Why be tied down to an arrangement? With the political uncertainty and fragmenting factions in the peninsular, there has been inflation in the value of East Malaysian seats.

Let them come courting for support from the state government, but the Sarawak state election is to be contested by Sarawakians, said Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Masing. He balances the exclusion by noting that Sarawakian politicians will not contest in Peninsular Malaysia.

But his East Malaysian neighbour, Warisan president Shafie Apdal doesn't see why he should be restricted, why he shouldn't cross the sea and plant his flag in Peninsular Malaysia.

Shafie's speech at his party's annual general assembly didn't sound like the usual rallying of spirit after a defeat, but the overture for war-drums, let's set up the Warisan flag flying in Peninsular Malaysia. Umno and Harapan can come here. We can go there.

"It is time for Sabah not only to be involved in negotiations but also to become a decision-maker in Malaysia," he said. Ah, he wants to sit at the big table.

Well, only time will tell whether Shafie crossed the line between successful ambition and hubris.

The early portents are not promising.

For one, he shouldn't have brought up the example of East Malaysian parties in earlier decades contesting in Peninsular Malaysia. Abject defeat and total retreat are not exactly inspirational.

And there was a swift response from PKR ranks, making it clear there would be no welcome mat at the front door (talking of door, it's amazing that the back door, previously a minor feature of a house, has acquired such forefront prominence in Malaysian minds).

There was heckling about Warisan losing the election, and being absent from Parliament for a day to merajuk (sulk) and send a message, read into it what you will, to Anwar Ibrahim.

The Holy Grail of Malaysian politics – stability.

What we have is a certainty – nobody goes away. Coming soon to your news portal – Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. I feel old.

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THOR KAH HOONG is a veteran journalist. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.