COMMENT | Not only has Pakatan Harapan disappointed voters with their consistent reneging of the GE14 manifesto promises, they are now openly defiant of their black and white undertakings in their manifesto by saying that it is no bible/sacred document.

Promise 22 of the Harapan manifesto clearly express that “The Pakatan Harapan government will ensure the appointment of state and national GLC Board members will be made based on merit and professionalism, not based on politics.”

But lo and behold, representing and speaking on behalf of Harapan collectively, Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali has openly declared that “Harapan does not rule out appointing politicians to top GLC posts."

Harapan leaders who are quick to blow their trumpets, are suddenly missing in action. None has deem it fit to explain to the electorate of another big U-Turn on their promises. No one has come forward to remind, rebuke or refute the PKR deputy president. They are suddenly silent in dignity instead of being indignant for dishonouring their promises to the Rakyat.

It is plainly obvious that Azmin is trying to water down or reduce the backlash he received on his appointment as director of Khazanah Nasional formerly. By not showing remorse, but instead repeating a wrong with a series of wrongs, he hopes to right his wrong. That’s called political arrogance. 

Azmin ‘mudah lupa,’ (easily forgets) conveniently ‘sudah lupa’ (forgotten) his own personal undertaking to the people to appease them at that moment. He has conveniently forgotten that as recent as Oct 2018, he had asserted: “No more politicians should be appointed on any board, we want the professionals to run our GLCs."

Surely with Harapan’s links and support from NGOs, civil society groups, academia, professional and religious bodies, both locally and globally, who were their ardent supporters in the last three general elections, they should be able to select outstanding candidates to fill GLC posts with no problem. 

Politicians and political parties must honour their promises or be accountable for what they have represented to the people. 

Instead what we have is Harapan returning to the old by behaving indifferently and adopting the practices of the previous administration that they had galvanised the people to boot out. 

Harapan elected representatives or political party leaders are more keen with rushing to fill top positions of GLCs or government agencies with their pals (read cronies), and securing the remuneration that accompanies such coveted positions, instead of attending to the myriad problems and untold miseries they have brought upon the rakyat since their coming into power. 

Slowly and surely the public's disgruntlement is showing. There’s really no "Ubah" under New Malaysia.

TI LIAN KER is MCA vice-president.