Election Promises Are Not The Bible

So, what’s the big deal about the promise for Mahathir to resign and hand power to Anwar in or before May 2020? What’s one more broken promise in a list of 100 broken promises? It is not like these promises are the word of God. And the promise to resign and hand power to Anwar is at the bottom of the list of more important broken promises.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

In his latest interview, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was asked whether he will fulfil his election promise of retiring and hand over power to Anwar Ibrahim in or before May 2020.

Mahathir did not reply ‘yes’ or ‘no’, as the question required. Instead, he gave a very long-winded reply that the whole thing is up to Parliament, and if he wants to stay on (beyond May 2020) but the majority of the Members of Parliament want him to go, then he has to go, but if he wants to go but the majority of the Members of Parliament want him to stay, then he has to stay.

In short, he will not make that decision whether to go or to stay beyond May 2020. He will leave it to Parliament. And if Parliament decides he must go then he will go, but if Parliament decides he will stay then he will stay.

Mahathir may have made a promise to go on or before May 2020. But the power to decide this matter rests with Parliament, not with him. Hence Parliament must make that decision and he will just follow what Parliament decides.

This definitely makes sense. If Parliament wants Mahathir to go then ask him to go. Then he will go. All you need is at least 112 Members of Parliament to ask him to go and then he will go. But if you cannot get at least 112 Members of Parliament to ask him to go — or 112 or more Members of Parliament ask him to stay — then Mahathir will not resign in or before May 2020.

So, start working. Start campaigning amongst the 222 Members of Parliament to get at least 112 Members of Parliament to support your usul for Mahathir to step down and hand power to Anwar Ibrahim. If you can gather at least 112 Members of Parliament to support your usul for Mahathir to step down and hand power to Anwar Ibrahim, he will have no choice but to step down.

If Anwar wants to take over as PM8 in May 2020 then he will need at least 112 MPs to vote for him

As for Mahathir’s promise…well, as Pakatan Harapan has been saying these last 21 months or so, the election manifesto is not the Bible and election promises need not be kept. Anyway, when they made those promises they did not think Pakatan Harapan was going to win the election. Hence they did not think they would need to keep those promises.

So, what’s the big deal about the promise for Mahathir to resign and hand power to Anwar in or before May 2020? What’s one more broken promise in a list of 100 broken promises? It is not like these promises are the word of God. And the promise to resign and hand power to Anwar is at the bottom of the list of more important broken promises.