COMMENT | Is Azmin Ali feeling the heat now?
COMMENT | Two days ago, a 78-year-old friend shared these thoughts in a chat group. He wrote:
“With the benefit of hindsight, I feel like kicking myself for being so naive in dedicating so much of my precious time and energy to a cause that turned out to be nothing more than a lie.
“Freedom, equality and justice for all were mere slogans employed to galvanise idealistic, but equally gullible, people like many of us.
“The end was the exaltation of a select few, whom as we have discovered time and time again, are more interested in their own power and positions than the people's wellbeing”.
I am sharing this here as these are exactly my sentiments today. For those of us who have spent so much of our time (read years), energy and personal resources to help our politician friends get elected and hoping (against hope) for the changes that never materialise, the man’s disappointment and disillusionment are understandable.
We were blindly led on a wild goose chase. We were fooled. Heck, I must have slapped myself countless times by now for being a bloody fool. Five months after the Sheraton putsch, I have not been able to forget nor forgive the schemers, turncoats and traitors from within Pakatan Harapan.
Top on my list of those I have described as “incorrigible parasites” and one who earned my strongest indignation is Azmin Ali. Is it any wonder that he is possibly the most vilified man in the country today?
We have heard negative connotations of Azmin from his fellow politicians. Now listen to these negative remarks
COMMENT | Two days ago, a 78-year-old friend shared these thoughts in a chat group. He wrote:
“With the benefit of hindsight, I feel like kicking myself for being so naive in dedicating so much of my precious time and energy to a cause that turned out to be nothing more than a lie.
“Freedom, equality and justice for all were mere slogans employed to galvanise idealistic, but equally gullible, people like many of us.
“The end was the exaltation of a select few, whom as we have discovered time and time again, are more interested in their own power and positions than the people's wellbeing”.
I am sharing this here as these are exactly my sentiments today. For those of us who have spent so much of our time (read years), energy and personal resources to help our politician friends get elected and hoping (against hope) for the changes that never materialise, the man’s disappointment and disillusionment are understandable.
We were blindly led on a wild goose chase. We were fooled. Heck, I must have slapped myself countless times by now for being a bloody fool. Five months after the Sheraton putsch, I have not been able to forget nor forgive the schemers, turncoats and traitors from within Pakatan Harapan.
Top on my list of those I have described as “incorrigible parasites” and one who earned my strongest indignation is Azmin Ali. Is it any wonder that he is possibly the most vilified man in the country today?
We have heard negative connotations of Azmin from his fellow politicians. Now listen to these negative remarks in recent days from Dr Mahathir Mohamad for his one-time blue-eyed boy.
When asked about his relationship with Azmin, who had served under his administration as the economic affairs minister, Mahathir said Azmin’s perspective in politics was too narrow as he was focused on his fight against Anwar Ibrahim.
“His focus is mainly against Anwar, his purpose in politics is about quarrelling with Anwar. That is too narrow a perspective for a politician.
“You should think about the development of the country. You cannot just because of your dislike for one person, that colours everything you do,” Mahathir said.
This is perhaps the first-ever negative vibe the grand old man has publicly sent out about Azmin. When your one-time mentor and protector (remember the alleged gay sex video) starts to cast aspersions on your personality and credibility as a politician, the heat is on.
Overplayed his hand
We must have noticed that Azmin has been considerably quiet over the past few months. Gone were the Harapan days when he would respond and counter immediately any onslaught coming his way from his opponents, particularly those in PKR.
Is Azmin feeling the heat now from his colleagues in Perikatan Nasional? Your guess is as good as mine.
A few days ago, when Selangor BN information chief Isham Jalil warned Azmin that his political future was in danger “unless he works to improve his ties with Umno and PAS”, the senior minister kept quiet.
“He seems to have a problem with everyone,” said Isham, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today. Isham alleged that Azmin had lost half of his grassroots support in PKR and Bersatu as well as the trust of Chinese voters.
He said in the next election, the Chinese would vote neither for Azmin nor his colleagues who had jumped ship from Harapan. “I think he’s in real trouble now,” Isham added.
Early this month, Azmin also came under fire from Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar over a meeting the senior minister held in Selangor that did not include Perikatan Nasional representatives.
Gombak PAS chief Salehuddin Mohd Nasir also criticised Azmin over the meeting and indicated a reluctance to work with him. Azmin is the MP for Gombak.
I’m not sure whether Azmin had explained the controversy surrounding the meeting. Even if he had, the damage is already done. It is clear that some Umno and PAS leaders have not been comfortable working with Azmin and have grown rather suspicious of his moves.
Why not? When Azmin can even betray his mentor and boss, Anwar Ibrahim, and bring the Harapan government down to its knees, why shouldn’t anyone be wary of his political moves?
Politics is said to be a numbers game and Azmin does not have the numbers. With only 10 MPs, including himself, Azmin is clearly at a disadvantage in the new PN coalition.
I agree with Isham Jalil – Azmin is in real trouble now. He has brought all his woes, discomfort and trust deficit upon himself. It even looks like he has started to dig his political grave and is sinking deeper into political quicksand.
Azmin has overplayed his hand and must have infuriated some Umno and PAS quarters by moving to consolidate and enhance his powers in PN.
He must have realised by now that dealing with Umno and PAS people in a coalition government is way different from his more accommodating allies in Harapan.
I have no sympathy for Azmin. He deserves what he is getting now.
And I must stress again that it is precisely because of treacherous politicians like Azmin and his ilk that concerned citizens who love and care for the nation are no longer keen to volunteer in helping any coalition attain power. To them, politicians cannot be trusted anymore.
That includes me and my 78-year-old friend.
FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS), and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
