YOURSAY | With Harapan impasse, it's best to prepare for GE15

YOURSAY | 'Mahathir has no moral ground to claim the PM seat anymore.'

COMMENT | 22 reasons why Dr M cannot be the next PM

Vision2020: As a matter of fact, why should the rakyat take the risk of wasting another six months, knowing very well former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's dubious and malicious intent is to fulfil his personal and unfinished business of destroying his enemies – Najib Abdul Razak and now, Muhyiddin Yassin – instead of diligently working toward fulfilling the Pakatan Harapan manifesto for the good of the rakyat?

Mahathir has no moral ground to claim the PM seat anymore, except as a minister mentor to the Harapan government, since he is party-less with a paltry five Bersatu MPs supporting him.

MP Tan: What I appreciate about Malaysiakini columnist P Gunasegaram is that he has been consistent. From the early days when the then opposition courted Mahathir, he had voiced his discomfort.

Gunasegaram is not assuaged by political expediency. His assessment is sound, even if one differs from his.

For the record, I supported Harapan at the last election and had a renewed respect for Mahathir. However, it is better that he retires graciously and allows others to take the leadership mantle in the current opposition.

Nash: As much as most Harapan supporters (the common rakyat) hate Mahathir, no one can deny that only he is capable of mustering support from Warisan and possibly some from Bersatu (Mustapa Mohamed and Mas Ermieyati Samsudin).

Sure, you might say, "Let's go for a snap poll and let the rakyat decide." The problem is, Perikatan Nasional (PN) will win big if a snap poll is held now.

After all, Malays are glad that their Muslim government is back. They are not that much affected by the corruption in PN yet. Soon they will and when they do, Harapan will get back their support.

At the moment, Mahathir is the only person capable of getting support from Sabah and Sarawak. So yes, we need the old fox for the time being.

BlueShark1548: What is it that the rakyat want? A change of government from PN back to Harapan Plus, right?

Anwar only has 92 MPs, which is not enough, whereas Mahathir might be able to get 120 MPs with his influence, for many, like Warisan, do not support Anwar.

The issue is that we could have a change of government with Mahathir, but not with Anwar. If we dislike Mahathir so much, then don’t change government - just let PN continue and post your grievances in Malaysiakini.

We do not understand why Anwar cannot be deputy prime minister (DPM) and wait for Mahathir to step down at the end of 2020 and he can make his bid for PM. Anwar must have the support of at least 112 MPs to take over from Mahathir.

If Anwar cannot get that support by then, Harapan Plus should call for an election and Anwar can prove himself at the polls. Harapan Plus would then go to elections with the advantage of incumbency.

What Anwar is trying to do is to force Harapan Plus to give him the PMship when he does not enjoy the majority support of MPs.

Mahathir would certainly not be contesting GE15. Anwar, at 75 plus, if still keen, could try his luck, though it is likely that he would go down in history as the man who tried to be PM for 20 or more years and failed.

Anwar should make sacrifices for the nation, and he would be remembered for that.

IndigoJaguar7545: Mahathir is far from having the numbers either. If he did, he would ‘clearly’ be prime minister today. Why is this hard to understand?

Anybody who wanted to back Mahathir has already stated their support. He will get, at best, one or two more MPs. And yet, that is still not enough to topple Muhyiddin.

Harapan has lost. Even if Harapan gains one or two more MPs, it will not a stable government. GE15 will come before Harapan ever returns to Putrajaya. All of them are planning for six months of power, at best, while giving GE15, GE16 and GE17 to PN.

Pelanduk: Mahathir has had his chance. And yes, 22 years and 22 months are more than enough time to make his mark. He does not need any more opportunities.

After helming the leadership for over two decades, he left behind a government teeming with great white sharks. Compare this to Lee Kuan Yew, who left behind a beautiful Singapore with a super clean government.

Mahathir should not be given another chance.

Jaded: It's sad and depressing that Malaysia still needs an over 90-year-old man to save it. Yes, he had the chance. He didn't make it. It was a wonderful story then. It's no longer charming and actually downright sad that we don't have anyone to take over the reins.

Let's move on. Maybe Anwar does not have the numbers but it's better to stick to principles, rather than to compromise.

Fair Malaysian: Do you recall the meeting Mahathir had with the Chinese education movement Dong Jiao Zong just before the 1999 GE?

He promised on a number of reforms but after the GE, he called them communists and publicly declared that he never had any intention to honour any of those promises. In essence, he cheated.

Here’s a fine example of someone who keeps his word - the late Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat. He once said how he felt being backstabbed by Umno and vowed never to go anywhere near it. He kept his word, unlike his successor.

Amanah is inconsequential, but DAP will suffer a fate as never before. It is portraying itself as a party greedy for power and position. In true fashion, reminiscent of those in power, it forgot that it owes its position to the people, and that should matter.

No Evader: The one thing I'm greatly satisfied with the Sheraton Move is that Mahathir was struck down by his minion, Muhyiddin.

PW Cheng: Cheated once and forgive, you are kind. Cheated twice and forgive, you are blind.

Willing to be cheated thrice, you must be out of your mind. - Mkini