Former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali has issued a scathing assessment of the Pakatan Harapan administration, saying it has failed to improve the lives of Malaysians as promised during the last elections.
But the veteran leader reserved his strongest comments on Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying the PPBM chairman has been “reigning over others” with his party having only 13 seats in the four-party federal coalition.
Dr Mahathir has no right to determine when he should be handing over his post to Anwar Ibrahim, said Syed Husin Ali.
Instead, he said, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council has the power to instruct Dr Mahathir on when he should give up his post to Anwar.
“Those who prefer Dr Mahathir to continue until the next GE know that the presidential council can remove him at any time because he represents a small party,” he said in a statement today.
Syed Husin’s statement today follows his remarks yesterday in urging Dr Mahathir not to wait too long before handing over power to Anwar, adding that he doubted whether Dr Mahathir would make good on his promise to step aside.
Today, the former academic continued his attacks on Dr Mahathir by describing the prime minister’s promise to save the country during the election campaign as nothing more than a lie.
“He now wants to save his power and believes he is the only one that can save the country.
“His speech in New York where he said his successor is not yet capable (to take over) was a betrayal and an insult to PH.
“We ask the PH presidential council: if a political anarchy is to happen because of Dr Mahathir, they will have to bear the responsibility,” the lifelong socialist said.
He also said the people were wondering whether Dr Mahathir was manipulating PH leaders.
“Have they all not realised Dr Mahathir’s political game is destroying the consensus agreed by all parties before the general election,” Syed Husin added.
Syed Husin, who was imprisoned under the now-defunct ISA for six years, also slammed Dr Mahathir for claiming he worked 18 hours a day.
“He has gone too far and even had the guts to lie at an international forum claiming he worked 18 hours a day.
“What kind of work are you doing when the country is collapsing? Does he not eat, sleep, pray or rest? Is he not human?” Syed Husin said.
“It is now clear that Dr Mahathir is not honest, and if he truly loves his country he should step down and let Anwar, who is 22 years his younger, take the job,” he said.
Earlier this week Dr Mahathir said he will serve three years at most before stepping down.
“I promised I would step down before the next election and give way to another candidate, so I may have at the most three years perhaps,” he said at a dialogue organised by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday.
Syed Husin also said that Dr Mahathir was the “culprit” behind the current problems.
“It is because of him the Malays and the Malay parties are split. It is because of him the judiciary and government institutions are destroyed and entangled in abuse and corruption.
“It is because of him graft and money politics are widespread until the point the country was almost sold by Najib’s (Razak) kleptocratic government.”
Syed Husin said the leaders who were fighting day and night to protect the people and save the nation have since gone quiet, with voices that once urged the people to rise against the government now singing praises and pander to the prime minister.
He said the people were also asking if the likes of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang have had their wings clipped.
He wondered if these leaders were not aware that Mahathir’s political manoeuvres would destroy the agreement made by the PH component parties before the May 9 polls.
Earlier report: Sept 28, Late Handover to Anwar Will Kill PH in GE15