Ambiga’s selective criticism of nepotism in Pakatan Harapan

Noriha Ismail

Ambiga dear, you accuse Anwar and his family of nepotism but you have chosen to be blind to the glaring examples of nepotism that exists in Pakatan Harapan, which is shocking for a hot shot lawyer and former leader of Bersih like you.

First, let us look at DAP, also nicknamed even before the formation of  Pakatan Harapan, as ‘Daddy Anak Party’. The son, Lim Guan Eng is General Secretary of the party.The father Lim Kit Sang who should rightly be called the “Constituency  hopping MP” (has hopped 9 constituency so far) is Advisor to the party but that does not imply he has no power. He, together with this son have a stranglehold over the party. No party member has thwarted them and survived in DAP politics.

Now, the moniker ‘Daddy Anak Party’ will have to be changed to ‘Daddy Anak Lelaki dan Anak Perempuan Party’s since the nomination of Lim Kit Siang’s daughter Lim Hui Ying as Senator. With some bravado she has attempted to defend her appointment citing her many years of experience and service in DAP Penang. So have many others in DAP! Her defence is rather weak as she has never proved her worth via the ballot box.

Fortunately, for Malaysians the fourth member of the Lim clan, Betty Chew who is the spouse of Lim Eng Guan is now not active in politics, having long served as an elected State Assemblyman for Malacca. Four Lims would have been too much for Malaysians to stomach.

Though Chew does not hold any political positions in the Government or DAP, her insidious influence on Lim Guan Eng  and DAP cannot be countenanced lightly. When her husband was Chief Minister of Penang she was infamous for her alleged attack of Lim Guan Eng’s former member of staff who was rumoured to be having an affair with Lim Guan Eng.

Second, a look at the  Prime Minister. That Mahathir Mohamad’s family members have also been appointed to positions of power within the Government fills Malaysians with misgivings. He appointed his son, Mukhriz Mahathir as Menteri Besar of Kedah, a position he was sacked from by the previous Government. The Prime Minister’s desire to make his son the future Prime Minister of Malaysia is certainly still burning in his heart and is well known. The only problem is the Prime Minister’s mortality, a factor he is very well aware of and has himself commented upon many times.

Recently, the Prime Minister has also appointed his grand nephew Datuk Mohamad Nuhairi Rahmat as his Political Secretary. A very powerful position indeed!

Mahathir’s son, Mokhzani has received lucrative contracts from the Government and Tenaga Nasional Berhad, which seems ominous considering we are barely past three months into the Pakatan Harapan Government.

Though the offer of contracts to Mokhzani has been defended stoutly as being obtained by open bidding, fairly and squarely. Most Malaysians are not convinced.

Now coming to the Karpals, three of the siblings are in the Government. Gobind Singh Deo is a minister, his brother Ram Karpal Singh is an MP while another brother, Jagdip Singh is a State Assembly man in Penang. From time to time, there have been rumours of their sister, Sangeet Kaur Deo entering politics too.

The older Karpal siblings, Jagdip and Gobind have so far been conducting themselves well as per the requirements of their portfolios. Unfortunately, Ram Karpal Singh appears to be more of a loose cannon. He is known to make rash statements contrary to the views of the party and then being forced to withdraw them.

Nepotism is vigorously alive in Pakatan Harapan! Ambiga, you did not cry out “Nepotism” regarding the Lims, the Prime Minister or the Karpals. Why do you selectively pin point Anwar Ibrahim?

Nepotism in any form is not acceptable!