WHY MAHATHIR ?

WHY MAHATHIR ?

Let us say for the moment that Barisan Nasional is not good for Malaysians.  So the voters want an alternative. DO they have it?

Yes they do - they have EX UMNO and Barisan Nasional big wigs now offering themselves as the alternatives and DAP which has been in the opposition for years.  And of course PKR, which is a mix of EX UMNO and new faces not from UMNO.

 And the splinter party called Amanah who are basically EX PAS, the party no Malaysian, Muslim or non Muslim can trust.

SO, the real alternatives are actually DAP and to a certain extent PKR. To be fair to PKR, Anwar Ibrahim has transformed that party into a Multi ethnic party and he was the first in Malaysian politics to give "ketuanan Rakyat" or people's sovereignty a public recognition in Malaysian politics. This itself is brave and visionary in Malaysian politics which have been dominated by the cry of "ketuanan Melayu" which is racial based.  

In the last election, Pakatan Rakyat, the coalition opposition actually won the popular votes - largely due to PKR and DAP. 

This election is different. In this election, it is no longer Anwar Ibrahim who is the star leader but Mahathir Mohamad, the ex Prime Minister of Malaysia for 22 years.  Anwar Ibrahim's platform was that he was a political victim of Mahathir because Mahathir was opposed to his reforms when he was in UMNO. Anwar's platform was also reform and he did cross the country igniting the refomist mind of many Malaysians. 

To be fair, one  can say that Anwar achieved more outside UMNO than when he in it in terms of democratizing the political imagination of the Malaysians. IN his speeches, even though he did attack Mahathir and his family but largely he was more issue based. He made Malaysians understand about fair income distribution, about non-discriminatory policies while not alienating legitimate Malay privileges. Malaysians, both Malay and non Malay remember his famous speech on "anak Melayu anak kita, anak India anak kita, anak Cina, anak kita , anak Iban anak kita...". Basically saying that the children of any Malaysians of any ethnic origin are children of all Malaysians. This is powerful message for Malaysia.

Anwar was also the first politician in Malaysia to say greetings in various ethnic languages whenever he gives a speech.  He was also the first West Malaysian politician to recognize  the East Malaysians in his speeches moving away from the norm of "Melayu, Cina dan India". 

In short, from the black eye, Anwar and PKR has actually moved on to thnigs that matter to Malaysia.

Then why is the new opposition Pakatan Harapan placing its political fate on Mahathir as the new star leader of the opposition with Muhyiddin as the second man?

It is a known fact that Muhyiddin had only survived on his Malay credentials. Thats the only political platform that he understands. And Mahathir? The complaints against him over the decades are a plenty and has become legendary !

Pribumi, Mahathir's new political party is Malay centric. Name me any top positioned orang asli or East Malaysian in the party even though is is ironically named "Pribumi" (native) ?! Is it not clear what this party is about? It is about using Malays to get votes for them away from UMNO.

And what does Pribumi offer other than "bring down Najib"? 

And the most morbid thing is - Pakatan Harapan refuses to name who they have in mind as the Prime Minister when every Malaysian knows the PM calls the final shots when it comes to policy and vision.

SO - why is DAP and PKR spoiling their chances with the very man that has caused decades of misery to their leaders and the country?

Jamilah Siddique