Pas man questions Pakatan’s PM choice
KUALA LUMPUR: In wanting to “save the country”, Pakatan Harapan (PH) has chosen the person responsible for “destroying” it in the first place, said Pas Research Centre officer Syed Ahmad Fadhli yesterday.
He said it was unfortunate that the opposition pact picked Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime ministerial candidate, in its effort to “rebuild” the country.
“During its convention on Sunday, Pakatan created history by announcing Malaysia’s seventh and eighth prime ministerial candidates.
“It wanted to appoint Dr Mahathir, who was in power for 22 years, as the seventh prime minister. Has it not learned anything?”
Syed Ahmad was commenting on the recent appointment of Dr Mahathir as prime minister-designate and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as his deputy.
He questioned Pakatan’s announcement of 13 reforms that the pact said it would implement if it comes to power.
“Among the interesting points are to limit the prime minister’s term, to ensure key positions such as the attorney-general, inspector-general of police (IGP), Armed Forces chief and others to be free from political influence; to free Malaysia from corruption and to respect the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.”
Syed Ahmad said in terms of limiting the PM’s term, Pakatan should ask itself why it picked Dr Mahathir, the man who was at the helm the longest, for five terms.
“(As for political influence), wasn’t it during Dr Mahathir’s time that cases like the dismissal of chief justice, V.K. Lingam’s video of the judge-fixing scandal and former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “black-eye” incident happened?
“Were the Constitution’s dignity and the rule of law upheld, and why was the media controlled under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 then?”
He wondered if PH had forgotten that opposition leaders were detained under the now-defunct Internal Security Act during Dr Mahathir’s tenure.
As for Anwar, Syed Ahmad said Pakatan appeared to be trying to force the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to grant him a royal pardon, to ensure that he could be active in politics again and, subsequently, made the eighth prime minister.
“Does Pakatan think that the prime minister’s post is a baton?”
Unlike Pakatan, he said Pas’ struggle was different, pointing out apart from individual change, the party wanted the administrative policy to be molded according to Islam.
“Pas’ struggle is not to make A and B as the prime minister and deputy prime minister. We believe one must prove that one is worthy and able to do the job. It should not be based on popularity.”