“Pakatan Harapan supporters opposed to Anwar’s decision to team up with Zahid, have pointed out – correctly, it seems – that Zahid’s appointment as DPM could risk pressuring the courts or pave the way for possible subversion of his trial”
Raggie Jessy Rithaudeen
كونفليك دالم بن، ڤه تنتڠ زاهيد جادي تڤي عيم، تاكوت كاله ڤيليهنراي ڤادڠ سراي
A small but influential faction within UMNO is lobbying hard for Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s yet-to-be-revealed cabinet.
According to a source, the lobbying is among reasons Anwar delayed the announcement of his proposed lineup, apart from fear that Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional may lose in the upcoming state and parliamentary elections should Zahid be named DPM.
The said elections involve the Tioman state seat and the Padang Serai parliamentary seat, scheduled for the 7th of December 2022.
SENTIASA IKUTI PERKEMBANGAN POLITIK TERKINI MENERUSI www.thethirdforce.net
Pakatan Harapan has received a lot of flak from a sizeable portion of its supporters for teaming up with UMNO, despite insisting, days ahead of the 15th general election, that the “one vote for PH is one vote for UMNO” claim was ‘fitnah’ (slander) to kill off the coalition.
Anwar often referred to UMNO leaders as “Kleptocrats,” with DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang even going so far as to promise that his party would never work with Kleptocrats or those who abuse power for personal gain.
However, Pakatan Harapan reneged on its promise soon after the 15th general election on the pretext that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong had decreed, not suggested, that a unity government be formed.
Truth is, not only did the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong do nothing of that sort, Anwar’s yet-to-be-revealed cabinet is anything but a unity government.
Zahid is facing 12 charges of Criminal Breach of Trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
On Jan 24, High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Zahid to enter his defence, and the court is expected to deliver a verdict in February or March or sometime thereabouts.
Pakatan Harapan supporters opposed to Zahid have pointed out – correctly, it seems – that appointing Zahid as DPM could risk pressuring the courts in his favour or pave the way for possible subversion of his trial.
To this, Anwar insisted that a person is innocent until he (or she) is sentenced, though this has done very little to assuage concerns that Zahid’s appointment would seal the fate of Pakatan Harapan for good.
Anwar isn’t the only person with problems.
It is estimated that Barisan Nasional, having lost multiple “white zones” to Perikatan Nasional during the 15th general election, pissed off more voters than it could afford following Zahid’s decision to team up with the DAP.
Prior to the 15th general election, Zahid promised that UMNO would never work with Anwar or the DAP come hell or high water.
However, Zahid has since admitted that the “no Anwar, no DAP” slogan was nothing more than electoral strategy to win the 15th general election, further infuriating grassroots members who are now demanding his resignation.
So, it comes as no surprise that Barisan Nasional too will face a gargantuan task in Padang Serai and Tioman, two seats both Anwar and Zahid want so desperately to win to prove that the BN-PH pact is well received by voters.
