A satire by Nurul Izzah Anwar

YB Nurul Izzah Anwar

We are at a critical electoral juncture in Malaysia. An opposition alliance, united on the principles of reform and justice, stands on the cusp of unseating the entrenched kleptocracy that UMNO has become after six decades of control.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the intellectual and philosophical leader of this opposition, and were he not a political prisoner, he would be its official head and Prime Ministerial candidate as well.

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has a history which has left many scars on democracy in this country, my family and I can attest very directly to that fact. But, even more important than the fact of his many accomplishments as a leader of this country, is the fact that he has changed his position on the key issues of reformasi and keadilan.

Tun Dr. Mahathir of 2018 is not Tun Dr. Mahathir of 1998. In the past 18 months, Tun Dr Mahathir has stood with us to protest in Bersih and accepted its legislative priorities in Harapan’s manifesto. In the past 18 months, he has called for the release of Anwar Ibrahim and stood with him in calling for an end to draconian NSC legislation. In the past 18 months, Tun Dr Mahathir has championed the causes of an independent judiciary and checks on Prime Ministerial power, and insisted they were components of Bersatu and Harapan manifestos.

Pakatan Harapan is not controlled by one person, but it does have leadership and organization. We are ready, able and willing to sacrifice to lead Malaysia to a brighter future, but to do so we need the unity, faith and discipline of every citizen who realizes the clear truth that BN’s decades of unchecked rule must come to an end this year.

Pakatan Harapan has not joined Tun Mahathir or Bersatu. Tun Mahathir and Bersatu have accepted the principles of reform and justice, and it is they who have come to us. Tun Mahathir has joined Pakatan Harapan, and stands by every position on our manifesto and every principle in Harapan’s policy agenda – an agenda which have all been crafted and deliberated by our constituent members and leadership, including most definitely, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

I honestly do not know the inner motivation of  Tun Dr Mahathir, but I know what he is doing now is right. I also do not know the inner motivation of those who are sowing disunity in our coalition, but I know what they are doing is wrong.

Stand together. Stay strong. United we will win. Divided we will fall. #MasaDepanMilikKita. #bersamaselamatkanmalaysia