LETTER | To Anthony Loke and DAP, I don’t think I can follow your arguments anymore. It is as simple as this: the premiership carries with it lots of inherent power. Once a person has become a prime minister, it is really difficult to hold him/her to account.

First, we need to ask, why does Mahathir need another six months as a PM? Does he have unfinished tasks to perform? If there are, ask him to spell them out. Pakatan Harapan Plus can either appoint Mahathir as a senior minister to accomplish the tasks or to get the new PM to “underwrite” the tasks.

Second, it is futile to promise a mechanism for Anwar Ibrahim to succeed Mahathir after six months. Remember, a PM has an incumbent and inherent power. Once he is holding the post, what water-tight mechanism can we really talk about here? There is no provision in the constitution that provides a sitting PM to relinquish the post to a named successor after a specific time frame. If we are talking about political arrangements, then nothing is sacrosanct. Have we seen enough of broken promises and treacheries?

Third, why do you think Anwar-Mukhriz Mahathir combo is not acceptable? Why do you think Mukhriz as DPM would not be able to provide sufficient assurance to Mahathir’s camp? It is simple again because Mahathir understands the power of premiership. To put it crudely, once Anwar has become the PM, Mukhriz and Mahathir will be at his mercy. If Mahathir is smart enough not to accept Anwar-Mukhriz arrangement, why do we continue to expect Anwar to accept Mahathir-Anwar combo?

Fourth, Mahathir was Harapan’s PM for almost two years. Have we not seen enough and have we not been able to judge Harapan’s performance under his watch. I am in no mood to compare Harapan’s performance with Perikatan Nasional’s performance here. I am keen on assessing Harapan’s performance vis-à-vis its own potential and capability. Mahathir continuing as the PM will yield more of the same. I am not saying Anwar will definitely be better. I am saying there will be a new hope and this is what this country needs now.

Fifth, I agree that for the good of the nation and its people, both Mahathir and Anwar must compromise. But do we fully understand the word compromise? It means to give and take. How many times has Anwar sacrificed? Does Anwar have anything left to give?

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