Sad to see U-Tun Mahathir so gila talak
Tun promises the moon and the stars to voters but DAP presages blazing asteroids
By Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, Tanjak
Actually it was only one short month ago — on Dec 23. Then Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed had denounced Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) in a speech as a form of bribery.
Tun Mahathir, the chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), even ventured to declare the BR1M payment as ill gotten gain and haram to be consumed, both from the legal and religious standpoint.
Later in Tun’s speech launching his new political entity at the Melawati stadium, the PPBM chairman stunned many, if not most, when he made a stunning u-turn and announced the following:-
“If BR1M is important [to the people], then this money will be distributed by government officials. And if endorsed by the rakyat, BR1M will be given statutory footing and made part of the annual budget,”
This latest announcement by Tun M can only indicate one thing: the former premier is willing to do most anything and everything, including lick his own spit in order to attain his selfish political ends.
His vindictiveness against Najib Razak extends to even trying to bring about the downfall of the BN federal government led by Umno.
This time, without batting as much as an eyelid, and with no sense of shame whatsoever and not more than a month following his earlier outburst against BR1M, he now acknowledges the scheme as not being a form of bribery after all.
The fact is BR1M makes good economic sense. Hence Tun backpedals to say it’s accepted by a vast majority of the rakyat as well as by the opposition figures.
Tun-DAP a match made in heaven
A volte face of this sort has been the norm for Tun M whose ability to flip-flop on his shortcomings when outed is legendary.
Looking at the various admissions made in his more recent speeches, Tun has all but admitted that he has made countless mistakes during his long, long tenure as prime minister.
His new pledge to effect the reforms necessary to “save Malaysia” (safeguard the freedoms of speech, press and political activity) is laughable indeed considering it was in his time as PM previously that the Official Secrets Act was tightened.
The amendment to the OSA – which his new-found best buddy, Lim Kit Siang has described as a dangerous and most damaging act in curtailing government accountability and transparency – was undertaken by Tun in 1986.
So what has happened to Kit Siang’s firm belief that the OSA amendment was a critical attack on parliamentary democracy? On freedom of the press? On independence of the judiciary?
The DAP used to insist that Tun’s legislative actions impeded any attempts to make Malaysia a corruption free country. DAP’s multiple turnarounds are in step with Tun’s many U-turns … measure for measure.
How Tun must be laughing at Kit Siang.
