Shahbudin: Muhyiddin must move beyond words into action

Sacked Deputy Prime Minister and suspended Umno Deputy President Muhyiddin Yassin should henceforth be going on a nationwide roadshow to increase pressure on Najib.

KUALA LUMPUR: If sacked Deputy Prime Minister and suspended Umno Deputy President Muhyiddin Yassin was going to be merely satisfied with issuing statement after statement from air-conditioned comfort, said a political analyst in his latest blog posting, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak could probably continue to smile to himself, although labelled a new dictator and even a criminal. “Muhyiddin should stop relying on the media only.”

“Muhyiddin should seriously think about how he’s going to move forward. Issuing statements only at this juncture may not be that suitable.”

Shahbudin Husin, the analyst, noted that Muhyiddin has for once begun urging the people to rise up and oppose cruelty and fight wrongdoing. “He wants reform of institutions and pointed out the emergence of a new dictator in the country, one he confirmed as a criminal holding the Prime Minister’s post.”

“He said that there was nothing else to do but move forward.”
Muhyiddin, said the analyst, should henceforth be going on a nationwide roadshow to increase pressure on Najib. “He should not stop. It’s important to be consistent.”

There are so many other groups, opposition parties and NGOs included, which have expressed concern about the future, he said. “Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, his son and former Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz, Umno Vice President Shafie Apdal and others are with them as well.”

Already, said the analyst, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and jailed de facto Opposition Chief Anwar Ibrahim have extended a hand of friendship to the suspended Umno number two. If one is brave because the truth is with him or her, he added, Muhyiddin should use this as the rallying point to gather momentum and strength. “Eventually, the system will purge Najib.”
“Even more important, the dream about a new nation with comprehensive reforms will come true. This is everyone’s ambition.”

Shahbudin was commenting on Muhyiddin’a statement, https://goo.gl/ghPbjP, in the wake of his suspension as the Umno Deputy President.

Briefly, he gathered four salient themes in the statement:
Firstly, comprehensive institutional reforms to limit the Prime Minister’s powers including his ability to cripple institutions like the Attorney General’s Chambers, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the police and Bank Negara. “These institutions must be able to function independently.”

Secondly, democracy as an institution was crumbling as Najib used the considerable powers he had accumulated to emerge as a new dictator, bent on stilling the voice of the people and that of his many and growing number of critics.

Thirdly, he was shown evidence by Abdul Gani Patel, before the latter was sacked as attorney-general, that depositing RM42 million from SRC International in Najib’s personal accounts was a criminal act.

Finally, noted the analyst, Muhyiddin said there was a need to move beyond the rhetoric of race, religion and political ideology, gather consensus across the political divide, and move towards a government that was just, trustworthy and had integrity.