'Kit Siang, two wrongs do not make a right'

YOURSAY | ‘Dr Mahathir is a lesson sent to our nation. We must learn.’

10 things Kit Siang says about working with Dr M

YM Lee: I have the deepest respect for DAP leader Lim Kit Siang and I think he is a super patriot, but I disagree that he thinks working with former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the greater good is bringing PM Najib Razak down.

The issue is our failing institutions - a legacy of Dr M. So working with him can only be correct if it is to correct the system so that the rule of law always prevails.

Presently, if Najib falls, what happens? A mad scrambling in Umno to replace him will take place.

And the reforms identified in the Citizens’ Declaration? Dr M will claim (most innocently) "I'm not the PM, I can only suggest. Let's hope they listen." But the new PM will be more predisposed with the old man this time.

Dr M is a lesson sent to our nation. We must learn.

Maplesyrup: Two wrongs do not make a right. I think Kit Siang has made it very clear, as to the basis and aspirations of the Citizens' Declaration.

True, we can take the position that Mahathir has contributed to the current wrongs, and therefore we should not cooperate with him until perhaps, he bows and seek forgiveness.

But that would be staying stagnant and not making any headway where getting rid of the nation's no 1 enemy is concerned.

Life is about choices, and about prioritising. For now, I agree with Kit Siang.

FellowMalaysian: This is a great set of no-holds-barred questions Malaysiakini has prepared for Kit Siang and which had elicited some honest replies. I would venture further and test my luck by adding two more:

1. Wasn't it a choice Pakatan Harapan and DAP made in going along and working with Mahathir in the Citizens’ Declaration project?

2. No one knows what the future will hold but surely there must already been much thought and discussions about what happens next? How serious is the group of like-minded signatories in fighting for institutional reform?

Fair Play: Kit Siang, you could have provided the same answer to every question as follows - in politics, there is no permanent friends or enemies, only a common objective relevant to the situation at hand to be attained in the interest of the people (and our mutual interest against a common foe or foes).

Oh Ya?: It only confirms that Kangkungland is full of opportunistic politicians who are unprincipled and totally devoid of credibility.

Mahathir and his cohorts have committed more alleged wrongdoings than his pupils combined. And his agenda is solely Najib's removal, to save Umno and his own skin, in case the opposition should capture Putrajaya.

How could Kit Siang think that his aim is to save Malaysia? Isn't it like his past assurance that PAS wouldn't implement hudud? How could Kit Siang pawn our future in his quest to seize Putrajaya?

Anonymous_1371477558: Oh Ya?, and what would you do? Dwelling forever in the past will only sink this country. The least we can do is give these leaders our support and hope for a better future.

Nehru: During the apartheid era, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for decades in jail.

He worked with FW de Klerk and when released from jail after 27 years, acted without seeking revenge for past wrongs in order to save his country.

The Citizens’ Declaration is a right step for the future to be free from tyranny. As Mahathir was the first to sign, it means he must be wanting to make amends for the wrongs he did.

Mahathir must be given support to redeem himself and at the same time save the country from the worst power abuse of modern history.

Over50ABU: Kit Siang, knowing that reforms will not happen even after ousting Najib, you would still work with a known former dictator?

Changing the PM and not making a change in government is next to suicide. We might not have suffered directly from his rule by being sent to jail, but we suffered from his rule indirectly.

Did you not learn anything from the way Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was replaced by Najib? People who really want a revamp of the whole system should wait for the 14th general election (GE14). We are not suffering so much that we are not able to wait.

Anonymous_4020: But we have facing a critical situation now, if the opposition does not come together, Malaysia would be history.

Existential Turd: Two surgeons are facing a patient with a gangrenous limb. One says we must remove the limb to save the patient. The other says remove the toe and take care of the rest later, without specifying when and how.

The first surgeon concurs that they should take things one step at a time. Meanwhile, the gangrene spreads...

Anonymous #07903560: My utmost respect for you, Kit Siang. A true statesman indeed. We need to look forward and move on. That’s why the front windscreen of a car is much bigger than the rear and side mirrors.

What will happen when one drives only by looking at the rear and side mirrors?

-Mkini