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LYRICS | The idea of a “Grand Coalition” of the opposition is actually another trick used by the former prime minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, to survive the next general election.
Malaysians, especially young people, have had enough of Mahathir. We need young leaders with fresh ideas and there are groups of potential leaders in the opposition who can take the place. I think it’s time for Malaysians to look beyond what people like Mahathir or Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah have to offer.
At his recent press conference, the former prime minister (PM) twice had the audacity to offer himself again for the top job when he himself once promised to pass the baton on to Anwar Ibrahim.
To be fair, he should have supported Anwar as the next prime ministerial candidate, but what he did instead was nominate Shafie Apdal for the job.
His actions, inconsistencies and unapologetic attitude have shattered the opposition since the fall of Pakatan Harapan. Mahathir is not leading the opposition anywhere. Sadly, people are suffering from these infighting.
Anwar remains relevant, to say the least, and is committed to a reform agenda, unlike Mahathir, who was given the opportunity to lead the government but did not execute it. The best proposition Mahathir can offer is to blame the previous government and make excuses for not complying with his general election manifesto.
The idea of a grand opposition coalition is highly unnecessary as Harapan and Pakatan Harapan Plus have made their presence known across the country. What’s the point of having another ‘coalition’? Is it to accommodate those independent deputies who currently do not have a party?
This is what Mahathir sees: allowing him and his independent faction to survive the next general election. It understands that to win a seat in a general election, one must have a party or coalition and Harapan is one of the main coalitions of political parties in Malaysia that will serve their needs.
He knows that it is impossible to win an independent seat as he had experienced in Slim’s by-elections.
Muda, on the other hand, will have no difficulty participating in the upcoming general elections, even though the party is not yet registered. This is due to the fact that the political alignment of its leader Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman is not much different from that of DAP and PKR, which strives for all Malaysians and especially Muda in this case, the youth.
As this idea of a youth grassroots party is still new in Malaysia, Anwar would like to see how Muda can impact Malaysian politics. Therefore, it will add value to Harapan as a whole, as the coalition heads towards the next general election.
The Malay-based Pejuang of Mahathir, on the other hand, has nothing to offer and is seen as inferior to Umno, PAS or even Bersatu. Those loyal to Mahathir are still joining him, but it is not enough to win an election.
This is the time for Anwar to end the political career of Mahathir, his long-time arch-enemy. As president of Harapan, Anwar determines who will compete under the Harapan ticket. Without its approval, independent candidates cannot wear the Harapan emblem.
And allowing Mahathir to re-enter Harapan, who previously presided and resigned, will stir the coalition once again. It will cause an uproar and dismantle the opposition even worse than before. The rakyat will also suffer this political instability again.
I think it is time to say goodbye to Mahathir and his political career, and thank him for his services to the country, but we have to move on.
MOHAMAD SIDDIQ AZANI is a lawyer and General Secretary of Gerakan Revolusi Anak Malaysia (G3RAM).
The opinions expressed here are those of the author / contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
