Amanah should be strong glue for Harapan, says delegate

AMANAH AGM | Amid reported chaos at the PKR congress yesterday, an Amanah central delegate today urged the party to play a pivotal role to bring the Pakatan Harapan coalition together.

In debating Amanah president Mohamad Sabu's policy speech, Pahang delegate Mohamad Fadzli Mohd Ramly (photo) urged Amanah leaders to help diffuse tension among its coalition partners.

"I urge Amanah to remain as the stabilising force in Harapan. Amanah must be the strongest glue to help our coalition partners to diffuse tension in their party," said Fadzli, who alluded to rumblings within PKR which eventually manifested into a street brawl during its Youth wing congress in Malacca.

In his debate, Fadzli also hit out at Amanah leaders in government, as well as other Harapan ministers, particularly Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof.

"What is happening right now, we, at the grassroots level, have lost face trying to defend the 'flying car' project. That is one of the most useless programmes undertaken by the government," he charged, to loud cheers from delegates gathered at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam.

He further argued that the government had introduced many "unneeded changes" such as pushing for ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the introduction of Jawi literature in schools. 

"The government should have carried out what is dubbed as the MIC —  maintain, improve and change —  rather than CIM, change, improve and maintain," he said.

Call to support two-term PM move

Meanwhile, Johor delegate Noor Khalim Sakib urged Amanah's leadership to support Harapan's move to limit the prime minister's post to two-terms or maximum of 10 years.

"I hope that the promise made (by Harapan) will be realised soon, at the right moment, and in a situation where it can be carried out with minimum problems," he said.

While Mohamad Fadzli had stressed on Amanah's role as a peacemaker within Harapan, Noor Khalim, without mentioning any names, alluded to a component party that had acted as a "big brother" during the recent Tanjung Piai by-election.

"In Tanjung Piai, we saw a negative trend, there were those among us who aspired to be a 'big boss' in Harapan," he said.

"We hope the central leaders can resolve this problem. If this continues, there will be those who view this component party as a 'big boss' and there are parties that can be bullied," he said.

Mohamad Sabu, who was reappointed as Amanah president for the 2019-2022 term, had in his policy speech yesterday touched on ties with Harapan components as well as narrating achievements under five ministries led by party leaders.

No mention of climate change

Aside from matters addressed in the president's speech, a delegate representing Amanah's Wanita Muda wing, Fatihah Salahuddin, highlighted that there was no mention of climate change as an important global issue.

Fatihah noted the issue of climate change should have been discussed by Amanah delegates today given how Malaysia was exposed to the haze and environmental pollution on a yearly basis.

The Amanah National Convention continues with debates of the presidential address and debates of motions tabled. - Mkini