Will Perak ever have an MB who puts the people first?

 

For decades, the once rich state of Perak has been in the doldrums, because the state has been milked of its riches with politicians allegedly lining their pockets as well as those of their cronies.

Former menteris besar have driven away the creative young and hardworking professionals who would have otherwise willingly remained in Perak to help develop it. Instead, they left for greener pastures in Selangor, Penang, Malacca, Singapore and overseas. Perak’s loss is their gain.

There is a multitude of reasons for the lack of real progress in Perak. Among the reasons is a lack of vision among menteris besar and their dependence on advisors who only thought of promoting themselves and their party.

Corruption is rife, but few cared to do anything about it. The state has many white elephants, failed projects by Umno-Baru.

Retired civil servants such as those in the Lands and Mines Department will have many stories to tell of how cronies were awarded state land for a song, which they resold to third parties. The cronies became millionaires overnight. None of this could have been authorised without orders from the top.

Perak has a long history of cooperation between the three major races. Its fortunes changed in the 1980s, when former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s plan crippled the tin mining industry with his Maminco Move.

He tried to corner the international tin market. Overnight, the industry suffered a mighty blow which forced mines and its associated industries to close down. Ever since the 1980s, Perak has seen little progress.

Last week, Umno-Baru’s Nazri Aziz, MP for Padang Rengas, said that the former menteri besar of Perak, Ahmad Faizal Azumu, had been removed for the benefit of the people.

Nazri is being economical with the truth. Faizal’s removal was an exercise in the flexing of Umno-Baru muscles, and a warning to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, that he should acknowledge their demands.

The new menteri besar is Saarani Mohamad, the assemblyman for Kota Tampan. How will he improve Perak, and the welfare of the people? He appeared more keen on maintaining his party’s relationship with PPBM and PAS in the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

February’s Sheraton Move showed that the once mighty and arrogant Umno, which had ruled the nation for decades under various names – from Alliance, to Umno, to Umno-Baru – would be forced to its knees.

Umno politicians were even more galled when PPBM looked upon PAS as a more worthy coalition partner. Not because PAS was more capable but probably because it was more compliant and easily manipulated.

Umno has had decades of training in the art of deception. It used this to great effect when it conspired with the opposition to bring down PPBM’s Faizal.

Umno wanted to scare Muhyiddin into acceding to its demands, by pretending that it was willing to work with the opposition (in Perak) to form the next government.

The few DAP politicians who fell for this trap look like fools for believing the spin. Fortunately, sensible heads in the Pakatan Harapan coalition held firm. To do otherwise would indicate to the rakyat, that DAP, Amanah and PKR were willing to sacrifice their principles by working with a party of kleptocrats and corrupt politicians.

The bottom line is that Umno was willing to make deals with the opposition to get what it wants, which is to regain control and power, which it lost in 2018.

As Perakians have seen, Umno was happy to stab its own PN coalition partner, PPBM, in the back. Perhaps the removal of Perak’s former menteri besar is a dress rehearsal for what could happen in Sabah, and eventually in Putrajaya.

A long list of senior Umno politicians are awaiting trial on charges of corruption, CBT and abuse of power. Once the party seizes control of Putrajaya, these alleged criminals may be granted a conditional discharge. Former senior politicians might once again resume power and act as if nothing has changed since 2018.

Saarani will have to look over his shoulder, because he could easily be betrayed by power-hungry members of his own coalition.

When will any menteri besar of Perak consider the interests of its people, instead of playing politics with their lives? -FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.