Zahid hopes Mukhriz will undertake self-reflection

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi advised former Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to remain strong in facing political problems and to carry out soul-searching in the party’s struggles.

He also urged the people of Kedah, including those from the other political parties, to continue to look ahead for the good and progress of the state.

“I hope Mukhriz will undertake soul-searching because I too have experienced the same situation in 1998. Because I maintained my righteousness, I am now in the country’s leadership lineup,” he said.

He said this to Malaysian journalists in Beijing today when commenting on the appointment of the state assemblyperson for Bakar Bata, Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah as the Kedah menteri besar-designate.

“I feel he should not be influenced by what is being done by the opposition. I too was made an offer by the opposition when I faced a similar crisis in 1998. That is why I urge consistency regarding our stand.

“As a politician... we must give priority to party unity as well as political stability in the interest of the country as a whole,” he pointed out.

Ahmad Zahid urged all party leadership at the state, divisional and branch levels in Kedah to forget the political problems that cropped up all this while.

“We know that whenever something happens to us, it does not mean the end of our political career. If we follow normal reasoning in 1998, I would have had no future at all, but in 1994 I was given the trust as a Member of Parliament in the 12th general election.

“The then-prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) gave me a chance as deputy tourism minister. It is only 11 years later that I am now in my present position.

“Thus, we should not make a decision when we are sad or angry, that is a decision influenced by emotion. Instead, we should be calm and accept it as fate, Insya-Allah (God willing) there is a blessing to what happens to us,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said that as politicians, they should know that when the time came for their respective posts to be given to others, it meant that they should not point fingers at anyone and should accept them as political reality.

- Bernama