Kit Siang: Mahathir in cell next to Anwar unthinkable
The DAP veteran nevertheless expresses the hope that Anwar and Mahathir would team up in the higher interests of saving Malaysia from the gathering “perfect storm”.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Suspended Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, winding up his “Solidarity with Lim Kit Siang-Mana RM2.6 billion?” campaign in Sabah with Sandakan being the final stop, has expressed fears that former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad may literally wind up in a cell next to jailed de facto Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. “This follows Minister for Communications and Multimedia Salleh Said Keruak’s observation that Mahathir may end up in jail if the latter’s suggestion that a lavish lifestyle be used as evidence of corruption.”
Lim, who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader, added that if this was how Mahathir was going to be treated, as Anwar said last week, then the democratic right of ordinary Malaysians to question and criticize the government was in serious jeopardy. “Anwar expressed ‘grave concern’ over police investigations against the former Prime Minister for criminal defamation. He has called for the immediate end of harassment against Mahathir and others.”
The DAP veteran was expressing the hope that Anwar and Mahathir would team up in the higher interests of saving Malaysia from the gathering “perfect storm”, a crisis in the nation’s politics, economy, governance and nation-building. “There’s a need to restore the self-confidence of Malaysians so that they can compete with even the best in the world.”
“Malaysia is neither Najib nor Mahathir, neither Umno nor Barisan Nasional (BN). The future of the country cannot be dictated by any one person or a group of individuals.”
Lim hastened to add that “teaming up” must not mean accepting Mahathir’s idea of a Council of Elders to exercise oversight on the government in Putrajaya and advise the Prime Minister. “Constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari has rightly pointed out that the Federal Constitution does not provide for a Council of Elders.”
