Pakatan Rakyat troubleshooter Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to focus on upholding democracy instead of obsessing over a two-thirds majority.
Without mincing his words, the PKR leader said Najib has embarked on a mission to 'poach' PKR MPs in order to achieve his goal.
"Why is he crazy for a two-thirds majority in Parliament? Currently, Barisan Nasional has enough seats to pass any law easily," he told a press conference at his house in Kuala Lumpur.
Zaid said the prime minister and Barisan Nasional are responsible for PKR's imbroglio. “They have invested great amounts of effort into making sure these defections happen.”
He went on to slam BN as a desperate party which is resorting to 'non-halal' means to win back their two-thirds majority.
Comparing Malaysian politics to that of the US and England, he pointed out that the governments in these two countries are strong not because of a two-thirds majority but a strong opposition that keeps them on their toes.
“BN has grown too comfortable with its previous status quo,” he said. “But if a rich person loses his wealth, he has to learn to accept and adapt to a new lifestyle.”
"He cannot rob and steal just to regain his previous status. In fact, BN hasn't even lost anything. It still has enough of a majority to pass any law so I don't understand its two-third illness,” he added.
Take a leaf out of past leaders
Zaid said the perception that the opposition must be killed off is a feudalistic one that is held by those who don't understand the true purpose of politics.
He was also sharply critical of Najib's leadership, saying that he would do well to learn from exemplary past leaders particularly his father Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Zaid referred to post-May 13 when Tun Razak dissolved parliament but re-enacted it three years later so as to allow democracy to prevail.
“Tun could have elected himself into power but he chose to put the country's future ahead of his own. Tun Abdullah, meanwhile, accepted BN's failure to win the majority of seats in Kelantan very gracefully.
"He forbade us to instigate any defections, saying that it was immoral and unethical. This was the leadership of our past,” he said.
“Najib, on the other hand, has shown disrespect to democracy with the Perak fisaco. Enough is enough. I appeal to him to let politics be more honourable
"Let it be about policies, leadership and service. Voters are not stupid. They know what's going on and can make their own decisions. If they make the wrong decision in one election, they will rectify it in the next. We have to believe in their intelligence and trust the system.
"If leaders don't respect the people's choices, then democracy is dead,” he added.
Zaid also accused BN of being more involved in clandestine political activities rather than in solving the country's real problems.
He rattled off a list of outstanding issues including trade agreements, foreign direct investments, fuel subsidy and oil payments, which he said has put the country's economy in a downward spiral.
“Our international political standing has also dropped and Najib is facing difficulty in gaining the attention of an international audience. Indonesia's president has met his US counterpart, while Najib hasn't.
"But instead of concentrating on boosting Malaysia's global reputation, he is busy scouting for dissatisfied members of the opposition,” he said.
Parliament should not be a rubber stamp
Meanwhile, Najib's 1Malaysia concept and New Economic Model also came under Zaid's crosshairs.
He said that the New Economic Model keeps being delayed and warned that the government risks losing people's confidence if it continues running the country in this manner.
Zaid also questioned the success of the 1Malaysia concept when right-wing Malay movement Perkasa is at the other end of the spectrum.
“The opposition will support good fundamentals,” he said. “We will accept 1Malaysia wholeheartedly if it truly means respecting all citizens' rights regardless of race and religion.”
"Likewise the New Economic Model. We will back it if it looks after the well-being of the people. But if it only exists to collect additional tax without proving to the people that their money is being well spent, then we will oppose it,” he added.
Petronas has diverted from its mission
Asked what steps he will suggest Pakatan take if it came into power, Zaid replied that it will treat Parliament as an institution for proper check and balance, not just a rubber stamp.
He said that he will also recommend that Pakatan put an end to the current governance of Petronas.
“Petronas has diverted from its original mission of reserving oil resources for future generations. Pakatan will honour this and not allow the prime minister to call on Petronas to bail out floundering companies by investing in them,” he added.
Zaid said the people must understand that this is not about PKR or Pakatan or Anwar Ibrahim.
“This is about keeping democracy alive in Malaysia. So I challenge the prime minister to fight on fundamentals, policies and service. That is enough to save our country,” he added.
FMT
05/03/10
Without mincing his words, the PKR leader said Najib has embarked on a mission to 'poach' PKR MPs in order to achieve his goal.
"Why is he crazy for a two-thirds majority in Parliament? Currently, Barisan Nasional has enough seats to pass any law easily," he told a press conference at his house in Kuala Lumpur.
Zaid said the prime minister and Barisan Nasional are responsible for PKR's imbroglio. “They have invested great amounts of effort into making sure these defections happen.”
He went on to slam BN as a desperate party which is resorting to 'non-halal' means to win back their two-thirds majority.
Comparing Malaysian politics to that of the US and England, he pointed out that the governments in these two countries are strong not because of a two-thirds majority but a strong opposition that keeps them on their toes.
“BN has grown too comfortable with its previous status quo,” he said. “But if a rich person loses his wealth, he has to learn to accept and adapt to a new lifestyle.”
"He cannot rob and steal just to regain his previous status. In fact, BN hasn't even lost anything. It still has enough of a majority to pass any law so I don't understand its two-third illness,” he added.
Take a leaf out of past leaders
Zaid said the perception that the opposition must be killed off is a feudalistic one that is held by those who don't understand the true purpose of politics.
He was also sharply critical of Najib's leadership, saying that he would do well to learn from exemplary past leaders particularly his father Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Zaid referred to post-May 13 when Tun Razak dissolved parliament but re-enacted it three years later so as to allow democracy to prevail.
“Tun could have elected himself into power but he chose to put the country's future ahead of his own. Tun Abdullah, meanwhile, accepted BN's failure to win the majority of seats in Kelantan very gracefully.
"He forbade us to instigate any defections, saying that it was immoral and unethical. This was the leadership of our past,” he said.
“Najib, on the other hand, has shown disrespect to democracy with the Perak fisaco. Enough is enough. I appeal to him to let politics be more honourable
"Let it be about policies, leadership and service. Voters are not stupid. They know what's going on and can make their own decisions. If they make the wrong decision in one election, they will rectify it in the next. We have to believe in their intelligence and trust the system.
"If leaders don't respect the people's choices, then democracy is dead,” he added.
Zaid also accused BN of being more involved in clandestine political activities rather than in solving the country's real problems.
He rattled off a list of outstanding issues including trade agreements, foreign direct investments, fuel subsidy and oil payments, which he said has put the country's economy in a downward spiral.
“Our international political standing has also dropped and Najib is facing difficulty in gaining the attention of an international audience. Indonesia's president has met his US counterpart, while Najib hasn't.
"But instead of concentrating on boosting Malaysia's global reputation, he is busy scouting for dissatisfied members of the opposition,” he said.
Parliament should not be a rubber stamp
Meanwhile, Najib's 1Malaysia concept and New Economic Model also came under Zaid's crosshairs.
He said that the New Economic Model keeps being delayed and warned that the government risks losing people's confidence if it continues running the country in this manner.
Zaid also questioned the success of the 1Malaysia concept when right-wing Malay movement Perkasa is at the other end of the spectrum.
“The opposition will support good fundamentals,” he said. “We will accept 1Malaysia wholeheartedly if it truly means respecting all citizens' rights regardless of race and religion.”
"Likewise the New Economic Model. We will back it if it looks after the well-being of the people. But if it only exists to collect additional tax without proving to the people that their money is being well spent, then we will oppose it,” he added.
Petronas has diverted from its mission
Asked what steps he will suggest Pakatan take if it came into power, Zaid replied that it will treat Parliament as an institution for proper check and balance, not just a rubber stamp.
He said that he will also recommend that Pakatan put an end to the current governance of Petronas.
“Petronas has diverted from its original mission of reserving oil resources for future generations. Pakatan will honour this and not allow the prime minister to call on Petronas to bail out floundering companies by investing in them,” he added.
Zaid said the people must understand that this is not about PKR or Pakatan or Anwar Ibrahim.
“This is about keeping democracy alive in Malaysia. So I challenge the prime minister to fight on fundamentals, policies and service. That is enough to save our country,” he added.
FMT
05/03/10
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