There are still people in my party who believe in consensus politics. I regard them as Quislings, as traitors… I mean it.
– Margaret Thatcher, former UK prime minister
After Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was announced as the new prime minister last Friday, a friend in Kuching sent me a note of disappointment which was not unexpected.
Actually, his words of frustration and disappointment were nothing new, coming from one who had hoped for a new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government following the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Aug 16.
It was just impossible for PH supporters to accept that Malaysia was getting a new prime minister from Umno, the very party Malaysians voted out in GE14 in 2018.
I understand where my friend was coming from. So, in an attempt to offer a fair, balanced view on the issue of the new prime minister re-GPS, I responded to my friend with this message:
“You blame GPS because you loathe GPS. And the coalition did not support the guy you supported to be prime minister — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Am I right?
“This is normal and understandable.
“While I do not necessarily agree with certain GPS policies, I do not blame GPS re-this current political crisis.
“Why? Let’s go back to GE 14. In 2018, GPS was in the Barisan Nasional coalition. They were fighting PH. They continue with their role on that side, opposite PH, up to this day.
“GPS has not changed sides. They betrayed no one. They stood by their allies from GE14 till now.
“When PH was in power, GPS was in the opposition. When the opponents of PH were back in power, it’s only natural for GPS to be with their allies.
“Bear this important fact in mind — GPS never initiated the downfall of PH. The people we should blame today are the traitors from PH who betrayed their own.
“They are from two main groups — former PKR leaders led by Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Muhyiddin’s group in Bersatu who betrayed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his loyalists.
“PH fell in 2020 during the Sheraton putsch because of Muhyiddin and Azmin and their cohorts. It has nothing to do with GPS.
“GPS chose to remain with their long-time allies by supporting Ismail Sabri as the new PM. That is within their right to do so.
“I am taking no sides here as I am not associated with any political party. My intention is to offer a fair and balanced view. Thank you for reading this”.
I believe I have been in this political game long enough to better understand the varied reactions from others. I do not expect you to agree with even a single point of what I’ve written here if you are a member of any of the PH parties.
That is where I am different from a party member. To a member of a party, their party or leaders can do no wrong. To a non-member like me, I have the luxury of screening and viewing issues in the absence of blind loyalty.
Blind loyalty is a big liability in political relationships. It is generally true that those who engage in blind loyalty believe allegiance is more important than objectivity. Often, being blindly loyal will lead a person to practice situational ethics — where wrong decisions made are seen as correct.
Well, I’m glad I’m spared of involvement in such practices because I have reached a point where political parties or coalitions mean absolutely nothing to me. Neither do I worship politicians. I have no idols in the political arena.
So, dear friends, remember this borrowed line: “Never let your loyalty make a fool of you for blind loyalty will eventually get you lost.”
Right now, both GPS and PH parties are preparing for a bruising state election tussle, expected after February next year or earlier.
Leaders from both sides have been on the campaign trail, lashing out at each other as expected of political opponents. In short, GPS and Harapan were and still are adversaries. Nothing has changed.
That being the case, what is so wrong about GPS declaring its support for Ismail Sabri as prime minister? This is politics after all. Surely, all of us are familiar with the adage that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.
It must be emphasised that the duty of GPS is to fight PH. This is as normal a political move as it gets.
Sarawakians must punish the three MPs (we all know who they are) who turned traitors, left PKR and soiled their bodies and souls in the most evil and treacherous plot — the Sheraton Move of February 2020. They do not deserve our support.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
