Hadi Awang is one big contradiction

Unlike his predecessor who is well-respected even by the non-Muslim community, Abdul Hadi Awang is one big contradiction.

He was not even amongst the top few opposition leaders who debated against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) when it was first brought up in the public domain.

In Parliament, he hardly made a squeak about it. How many times has Hadi raised the issue of the TPPA in Parliament? Did he make big news with his anti-TPPA? Does he even understand the TPPA agreement and why other opposition leaders like Nurul Izzah Anwar had opposed it but he kept silent about it?

Now, he is accusing the DAP of being aligned with the People’s Action Party (PAP) of Singapore on the TPPA, when in the first place, it is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who is dancing to the tune of the United States of America.

When Barack Obama visited Malaysia, where was Hadi? Why was he so silent? Former ppposition leader Anwar Ibrahim would have stood up to oppose against the inequalities in the TPPA, but when Anwar was sent to jail, what did Hadi do about it?

I am therefore surprised that, at the tail end of the negotiations, Hadi is showing his face - but what irks me more is when he started to play up the typical Umno game of racialising an issue which is otherwise of global concern both to the Malays and other races in this country.

Is this now a PAS standard to play on racial politics? PAS, being an Islamist party, is now drawn into the mire of racism because of Hadi’s polemics.

PAS allowed it

Hadi has no one to blame but himself and the party that he represents. The reason why TPPA will be signed is because we have someone up there who is supporting the agreement.

When Bersih 4 was held in August last year, one of the objectives was to urge Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to step down over a number of allegations, which include the ‘donation’ of RM2.6 billion.

Over 400,000 people turned up for the two-day carnival-like event organised by Maria Chin and her team. The DAP was also involved, as I could see many of their leaders on the ground. Even former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was there.

Former PAS deputy president and now Amanah’s president, Mohamad Sabu, who is fondly known as Mat Sabu, was there, too. We recall him setting up his camp, but where was Hadi?

Instead of urging Najib to consider the people’s growing concern over the country’s economic conditions, Hadi said Najib should remain as prime minister.

People like DAP’s publicist Tony Pua had been highlighting about the 1MDB and the huge ‘donations’ that went into Najib’s personal accounts. Hadi was silent as a mouse.

When a no-confidence vote against Najib was submitted by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Hadi was also non-supportive.

Now, we have a prime minister who is behind the TPPA agreement. Why cry over spilt milk, Hadi? He should remain silent, instead of playing on racial politics and further distance his party from the non-Muslims in this country.

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STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008. -Mkini