So is PMX plotting DAP’s political harakiri or is DAP power crazy as claimed by rightists UMNO, PAS?

CONTRARY to concerns of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim having succumbed to “power crazy DAP” in his latest Cabinet reshuffle exercise, Madani critics feel that it is the former who is charting the demise of the party with the most seats in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition yet subserviently plays second fiddle in the Madani government.

The best counter to rightist groups which include PAS and UMNO is one by avid big biker Leon Wen who is made to wonder if newly minted Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh “is a political scapegoat” or is she “PMX’s boldest chess move to win the thinking middle”?

Editor’s Note: Segambut MP Yeoh made history on Monday (Dec 15) as the first Chinese and the first non-Muslim minister to hold the Federal Territories portfolio since the post and its various iterations were first created in 1976 (Source: Malaysiakini).

“The hard conclusion is this is not a stupid gamble but a calculated gamble (by PMX) that performance can change perception and efficiency can change sentiment,” he penned in a Facebook rant.

“If he succeeds, he doesn’t only win GE16 (16th General Election) but changed the political axis of Malaysia.

“If he falters, FT will become the epicentre of the biggest racial attacks in the GE16 campaign.

“While PMX is confident in Hannah’s abilities and competence which many still don’t see (she is fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and adapts very well to the Malay culture), the key question here is whether there’s ample economic power and enforcement to defend PMX’s strategy (against opposition onslaught)?”

Two extreme views

As backdrop, PAS Sura state assemblyman Dr Tengku Muhammad Fakhruddin Tengku Md Fauzi has branded the Cabinet reshuffle as “robbing hope”, hence the entire exercise “is not reformasi but reforbasi” while alluding to DAP deputy secretary-general Yeoh’s portfolio swap to FT Minister as “most worrying”.

“Is this a subtle message that the voices and concerns of urban Malays are no longer relevant?” the medical doctor-turned-full time politician hit out.

“Is this a sign that issues of affordable Malay housing, Malay small-scale hawkers or urban Malay youth squeezed by spiralling cost of living will continue to remain at the edge of the radar?”

In addition to PAS, UMNO secretary-general Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has also questioned the very fact that both the FT Minister and her deputy (Tawau GRS MP Datuk Lo Su Fui) are of Chinese descent.

“What is the fate of urban Bumiputera? Is this a precursor to local government elections?” asked the MARA (Majlis Amanah Rakyat) chairman and former UMNO Youth chief while laying bare ground sentiments from PMX’s Cabinet reshuffle.

He further shared that based on race composition, there are 17 Malay ministers, Chinese (five), Indian (two), Sarawak Bumiputera (five) and Sabah Bumiputera (three) while the deputy minister line-up comprises 10 Malays; Chinese (five), Indian (two), Sarawak Bumiputera (seven) and Sabah Bumiputera (six).

Committing political suicide

Aside from Leon Wen, another Madani critic is similarly of the view that the latest Cabinet reshuffle reflects PMX’s pandering to the right tendency.

“With most DAP’s leaders demoted (ie Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim Chee Keong takes over the ‘rather Malay-centric’ Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives portfolio) and given not important portfolios, Anwar is planning for DAP’s exit from Madani,” observed Yang Gor Condor Returns (@YangGorHero).

“He feels with UMNO, GPS and GRS, he doesn’t need DAP. He also feels DAP is a burden for him to chase after the conservative Malays support which he really wants!”

Added the self-proclaimed independent analyst and foodie: “(He) always wanted to be accepted and recognised as a Malay and Muslim hero but the Malays and Muslims don’t accept a sod*m*ser as leader!

“This is his greatest frustration! So he might reduce DAP hoping (that) he can win support from the Malays and Muslims!”

A presumably PKR leftist (belonging to former deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s faction) concurred that PMX “is working against the minority and trying hard to get Malays favours”.

“Yet, still he’s losing both votes,” penned amir aiman (@amimanera73) on X. “ALL HIS ECONOMIC POLICIES IF READ BEYOND SURFACE VALUE WILL AFFECT THE CHINESE THE WORST.”

Well, Madani critic ad tech consultant Pemikir Malaysia (@pemikirmsia) summed up best:

“Steven Sim has proven himself and delivered. He is replaced by an ex-MIC guy (Datuk Seri R, Ramanan) who joined PKR less than five years ago with next to no ability nor credentials.

“Reformasi  Reformanan ” 

 -Focus Malaysia