Since the 2018 general election, Malaysia has witnessed four prime ministers being sworn in with Anwar Ibrahim being the latest after cobbling together a coalition government after the last national polls.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad went from the longest-serving prime minister of 22 years to the shortest in 2020 when his second tenure ended just after 22 months.
However, his successors Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob kept breaking the record with the former stepping down after 17 months and the latter, after 15 months.
DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said those who were hoping to see another record being set by engineering Anwar’s downfall had failed in their bid.
“In less than four weeks, the country will have a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong when the Sultan of Johor (Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar) ascends the throne.
“The plotters who want Anwar to serve as the shortest prime minister are increasingly desperate as despite their various plots, the latest being the Dubai Move and the Chow Kit Move, they have failed to topple Anwar by undemocratic means as there will be no more ‘backdoor’ prime ministers in Malaysia.
“Muhyiddin and Ismail will be the country’s two backdoor prime ministers and they will go down in history as two persons who were not decided by the majority in Parliament as provided in the Malaysian Constitution,” he added in a statement this evening.
According to Lim, Anwar, who was sworn in as prime minister on Nov 24, 2022, had spent his first year in office “fighting for his life” as he tried to forestall various attempts to topple him.
Focus on national unity
He said now that the Pakatan Harapan chairperson has been assured of political stability for the next three to four years, Anwar must focus on national unity and deliver the various institutional reforms promised.
Lim said this is important to ensure Malaysia can reverse the national decline and rise again as a great plural world-class nation.
“There is no better reference than the Spirit of Merdeka declaration made by 60 of the country’s civil society organisations which in 2007 identified the major failings and obstacles to Malaysia’s progress and advancement towards a more developed and democratic nation.
“The country should restore democratic norms and practices and reaffirm its commitment to the safeguarding and support of vital institutions and processes that are the hallmark of vibrant and flourishing democratic systems,” he added.
Previously, Malaysiakini reported analysts stating that attempts to unseat Anwar would end when Sultan Ibrahim becomes the Agong, pointing out that the Johor ruler had repeatedly stressed political stability.
Earlier today, Umno supreme council member Lokman Adam debunked controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s claim that the opposition had garnered 120 statutory declarations (SDs) through the Dubai Move to topple the coalition government. - Mkini
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