Pick Ku Li, not Muhyiddin, Ariff Sabri tells Dr M
Don’t choose the best of the worst to replace Najib, says the Raub MP
(Free Malaysia Today) – Raub MP Ariff Sabri has pleaded with former premier Mahathir Mohamad not to pick “the best among the worst” as replacement for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
In his latest blog entry, Ariff expresses fear that Mahathir may endorse Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin or anyone else from the current hierachy of Umno leaders. He says the best person from Umno to take the Prime Minister’s job is party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Referring to the DPM’s tenure as Johor Menteri Besar and reports alleging that he sold plenty of land to Chinese businessmen, he says Muhyiddin has left a record that is not much better than Najib’s.
“He smells nice because he hasn’t become PM. His wife smells nice because she’s not yet a PM’s wife.”
Ariff cautions his readers against being “mesmerised” by Mahathir.
“Mahathir is not showing us a way out if he endorses Muhyiddin,” he says.
“If he wants to save Malaysia, he must propose a leader who has integrity and who commands the respect of the many. Unfortunately, although there is such a person in Umno, it looks as if he is deeply hated by Mahathir. If he truly wants to save Malaysia, Mahathir should endorse Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. He may not be in the Umno leadership hierarchy, but extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures.
“I believe Tengku Razaleigh can restructure the governance of Malaysia with the kind of inclusive politics that the opposition parties will commit themselves to.”
Ariff sees “no way” in which Barisan Nasional can govern Malaysia. “All the BN parties have lost their credibility,” he says.
“Umno does not have the trust of the Malays. The Chinese have rejected MCA. Indian support for Indian leaders in DAP is greater than their support for the MIC Indians. This is the truth. Like it or not, learn to accept it.”
He says Malaysians want leaders who are “honest, trustworthy and capable, not the one-eyed among the blind. I say, let’s forget Muhyiddin Yassin.”
Referring to Mahathir’s attacks on 1MDB, Ariff says the former PM was not raising much that is new, but repeating what opposition figures like Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli have “ferociously” been saying.
“The Umno people are pretending not to comprehend this financial scandal because it involves their leader. Their responsibility is not to the nation, but to their leader.”
