Zahid Hamidi can now decide Ismail Sabri’s future

But then, to be able to get a royal pardon, Zahid must first go to jail. The Agong cannot pardon someone who has not yet been convicted and gone to jail. Hence, ironically, Zahid’s only hope for freedom is to first get convicted and go to jail. Then he and Anwar can really become master-and-student when both are pardoned convicted criminals.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Umno has amended its party constitution to allow the party elections to be postponed by up to 18 months, or up to six months after the general election (a.k.a. GE15).

(Earlier today, Umno approved the party’s constitutional amendment related to its internal election after the majority out of 2,586 division leaders that attended the special meeting today voted for it. — Malay Mail Online).

Technically, this means, to be able to comply with Umno’s party constitution, GE15 must be held by May 2023 — so that Umno’s party election can be held 18 months from now or by November 2023 (which would be six months after GE15 as well).

That seems to be what must happen, unless Umno wants to hold another EGM a year from now and amend the party constitution, again — so that GE15 can be held by August 2023 and Umno’s party election held in February 2024 instead.

Tun Dr Mahathir did the same thing in the past when his popularity was at its lowest and he was worried he would lose the party presidency if the party elections were to be held. Mahathir also came out with the “no challenge for number one and number two” ruling to make sure he and Anwar Ibrahim can continue unchallenged as party president and party deputy president respectively.

Hence Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is not the first person in Malaysian history to remain as the backdoor party president. And true to his word, Zahid learned this trick from Anwar Ibrahim.

The SC and ROC would look at how the majority shareholders cum directors of a company run a company to protect the interests of the minority. The majority shareholders cum directors may argue they control more than 51% of the shares of the company. But that does mean they can do as they like. The interest of the other minority shareholders must also be protected.

The ROS needs to do the same for any association or political party. The interests of the minority must also be protected.

The problem is, Malaysians think that so long as the committee or 51% of the members agree to something, then the balance 49% have no say and must accept the decision of the 51% or of the committee.

Democracy means, if 51% says yes, the other 49% have lost their democratic right to disagree and say no.

Umno claims it has 3.5 million members. And the voice of these 3.5 million members is heard through the delegates representing them. So, in this case, it is the minority that decides on behalf of the majority (the majority out of 2,586 division leaders ).

And this is the number one weakness or flaw in democracy, especially in a representative system of democracy that Malaysia uses.

Malaysia has a population of 32 million. About 22 million are of voting age. In 2018, only 12 million came out to vote. Just over 5.5 million voted for Pakatan Harapan. Pakatan Harapan won 113 parliament seats (which later increased, of course).

Hence in reality, only 113 Malaysians in parliament decide what happens to the rest of more than 32 million Malaysians.

And this is the so-called wonderful democracy that Malaysians are screaming and shouting about.

So, who decides who these 113 MPs who represent them are? The 22 million voters? The party they are representing? The 1, 2, or 3 million party members?

No, the person who decides who these 113 MPs are going to be is just one man, the party president. In Umno’s case that would be Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Technically, Zahid can even decide whether Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be given a seat to contest GE15. You may argue that this will never happen. Whether it will or will not happen is not the argument. What matters is Zahid has the power to deny Ismail Sabri a seat to contest GE15.

The only way to protect Ismail Sabri would be to make sure that Zahid is no longer Umno’s president when GE15 is held next year. Hence Zahid must be found guilty in the trial he is facing. Then he will need to resign as Umno’s president and can no longer decide Umno’s candidates in GE15.

Even if Zahid tries to make a deal to stay out of jail, it is already too late. Zahid’s trial is too advanced and has passed the point of no return. Zahid’s only hope is for a royal pardon once he is convicted, like what Mahathir did for Anwar Ibrahim.

But then, to be able to get a royal pardon, Zahid must first go to jail. The Agong cannot pardon someone who has not yet been convicted and gone to jail. Hence, ironically, Zahid’s only hope for freedom is to first get convicted and go to jail. Then he and Anwar can really become master-and-student when both are pardoned convicted criminals.