Razaleigh-Azmin the way forward, says Ariff
Raub MP writes off Anwar and outlines how to ally with Mahathir in a move to new politics.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Raub MP Ariff Sabri Aziz has spotlighted Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as the key men for a new politics in Malaysia, effectively writing off Anwar Ibrahim.
Ariff said a Razaleigh-Anwar alliance as proposed by Zaid Ibrahim last week was unworkable as long as Anwar was in jail. Furthermore, Dr Mahathir Mohamad would not be able to overcome his disdain of his former deputy.
The real troika or triumvirate to oust Najib and free Anwar could only be Mahathir-Razaleigh and Azmin, although Azmin would need help to remain as the Selangor menteri besar in the face of a possible PAS-Umno alliance.
“Dr. Mahathir and Razaleigh’s interest is in saving Malaysia. Azmin’s interest in the nearest future is in being part of this politics to salvage the country and in saving himself, too,” Ariff said.
He urged Dr Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh to engage with each other, and effectively wrote off Anwar Ibrahim.
“For now let Anwar sleep with the mosquitoes at the Sg. Buloh resort. Anwar’s only would-be savior is Tengku Razaleigh if he ever were to become Prime Minister.”
Ariff said Dr Mahathir had no one else on his side in his campaign to oust Najib Razak as Umno president and prime minister. If deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was moved up, he would inherit a government that would crumble and lose the support of Sabah and Sarawak.
Tengku Razaleigh, however, commanded respect from both sides of the aisle, Ariff said. He had remained aloof of mainstream politics and was not tarnished by negative perceptions of Umno. “I am not trying to be an apple polisher here (I am from DAP) but as it stands at the moment, half of TRH’s mind is worth more than the entire fleet of the Minister and deputy ministers in the finance ministry now,” he said.
Ariff wrote off Anwar as a key player, as long as he was imprisoned. The project to oust Najib could only succeed through those with considerable influence and resources: the only people meeting those criteria at present were Mahathir, Tengku Razaleigh and Azmin, he said.
