Mohamed Hanipa Maidin has expressed disagreement with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s call to end the salvos against the declining ringgit and the police’s stand on electoral watchdog Bersih’s march to Parliament tomorrow.
However, the former deputy law minister said he is willing to give the Pakatan Harapan chairperson a chance to prove he is still a true reformer although the situation on the ground appeared to paint a different picture.
“It is hoped that he is truly a reformer and not a confirmed deformer,” he told Malaysiakini.
Referring to Anwar’s statement that the weakening ringgit should not be used as a “political punching bag”, Hanipa said this goes against freedom of speech.
“It does not reflect a reformasi culture which PMX (Anwar) used to propagate and promote,” he added.
On social media, Hanipa, who served as deputy minister during the Pakatan Harapan administration from 2018 to 2020, termed the request as “inconceivable, irrational and illogical”.
“The government does not have to worry about political attacks, it can always respond to the attacks,” he added.
The prime minister, who has come under intense criticism over the lacklustre performance of the ringgit, said the government is making efforts to improve the situation.
He also noted that other Asean currencies were declining as well with the Singaporean dollar being the sole currency in the region bucking the trend.
Graduates of ‘Bersih school’
On Bersih, Hanipa said the government should also respect the electoral watchdog’s right to hold a peaceful march.
“I believe both the prime minister and Harapan ministers in the government are aware of Bersih and its true and genuine reform agenda.
“It would be no exaggeration to say many Harapan leaders actually ‘graduated’ from the ‘Bersih school of street democracy’ unless, of course, they are suffering from amnesia,” he added.
As usual, Hanipa said, the police had unduly warned the public not to join the Bersih's planned march on Parliament.
“And as usual the police have also cited the provisions of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) to drive home the proposed assembly would be illegal as there was no notice filed to inform the authorities about such a proposed peaceful assembly.
“The police ought to realise that the whole idea of having the PAA is for the police to facilitate any lawful assembly.
“Sadly speaking when it comes to the issue of organising any peaceful assembly our police force tends to frustrate rather than facilitate such a peaceful assembly,” he added.
Hanipa said it would be understandable if ministers from Umno and BN were displeased with Bersih because of their opposition to the movement from the start.
“But lest we forget the government is not a BN government though there are few BN ministers therein.
“As of today, it is still Anwar who is helming the government. Hence, Anwar owes it to the public to bring true reform. After all, he has been vocal calling for reform.
“It seems people are not really happy with his administration. It seems to me his perceived failure to bring a true reform has produced a genuine frisson of disquiet to many. His promises of bringing reform sound like a pipe dream,” he added. - Mkini
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