YOURSAY | 'Mahathir knows very well that the proposal for Shafie to be PM will only divide Malaysia.'

COMMENT | Shafie as Harapan PM-designate enjoys cachet

FairMalaysian: Let us leave Anwar Ibrahim aside and see who the real Shafie Apdal is - he is but a shadow of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Mahathirism, and I have this lingering doubt that this is all but an exercise by a father to make his son the PM and continue with this Mahathirism that had damaged almost everything he had touched.

We, as a nation, stand torn apart on race and poor governance, thanks to his dogmatic overreach of what he believes is right.

For sure, his son is there to continue his father's legacy and, might I say, could be even worse. Take a dossier of Mukhriz and you will know what I mean. It is not Shafie Apdal, it is Mahathir's Shafie Apdal.

Of course, I am for anyone from the Borneo states to finally be the PM, but it cannot be in the make of Warisan leader Shafie Apdal or Sarawak’s Abang Johari Openg.

They are all not even worth mentioning - and who doesn't have the slightest hesitation to play partisan and opportunistic politics? It has to be someone in the make of the late Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem.

My hand would have reached the sky to say "aye" to him. What we have are such low-grades that parade as leaders. We deserve a lot better.

Vijay47: Writer Terence Netto, I agree with you that the selection of Shafie Apdal is guided not so much by the man’s merits but as a lure to East Malaysia under the simple concept of any port in a storm when survival is at stake.

We again earn international attention and again obviously for the wrong reasons. Where in the world do we have a prime minister seeking the sacking of Parliament’s speaker and deputy speaker to forestall the distinct possibility that the premier’s command of majority support would prove to be false?

Perhaps if the duo refuses to buckle under, we might see a repeat of the famous performance at the Perak Assembly, where firm neck-holds came effective. Let us see what the ides of July have to offer.

You suggest, Netto, that the Members of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak cannot look askance, implying that they would rise to the cause. Yet, are Borneo’s noble 57 all men of honour? Unfailingly, they have revealed themselves to be most adroit at dancing gleefully for whoever pays more.

Not that the species from the peninsula are any better.

I would argue with you, sir, that the shattering of myth is counter-productive. It indeed is, at least in the short-term, since the destruction suffered by Umno reveals the fault lines in their strategies leading to the wholly unexpected success of the then-now opposition in 2018.

If the prime minister and his band are not ousted, should the vote of confidence actually see parliamentary daylight, then those fissures would be closed and weaknesses in the ramparts would be strengthened so that this facet of history would never be repeated.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has already started with his crude government-linked company (GLC) generosity. The Election Commission is yet to begin its constituency moves.

PinkPuffin4047: GE14 was won on the premise of Mahathir being PM and to be followed by PKR leader Anwar. How does Shafie Apdal being PM not constitute a backdoor PM if the sole objective of Harapan Plus is "to restore the people's mandate"?

Of course, if the real objective is to stop Anwar from being PM, then this is a brilliant suggestion. But please be honest about the real reason.

Proarte: It should come as no surprise to Anwar why he is seeing so much treachery and betrayal around him - it is because he is seen as an arch Muslim hypocrite, a fake 'reformist' and a political chameleon by many.

This perhaps explains why DAP and Amanah have decided to back Shafie as PM. This is the only way to bring down Perikatan Nasional (PN). They are obviously doing it for self-interest reasons, after having tasted the glorious trappings of power and are now feeling the pinch in opposition.

For my part, I would prefer if Pakatan Harapan remains in opposition and comes up over the next three to five years with a blueprint for real reform of Malaysia, which will have the support of all the peoples of Malaysia.

Ideally, PKR, DAP and Amanah should merge into one party with unity of purpose and political philosophy.

Reforms can only take place if each citizen is regarded as equal and if human rights are guaranteed. If there is any hint of inherent privilege, discrimination and racism, then "reformasi" will remain stillborn with the "reformasi" clarion call being "told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing", to quote Anwar's favourite playwright William Shakespeare in ‘Macbeth’.

Headhunter: Even though there is some reservation regarding Shafie, I must admit that a PM from the East is more palatable than the other two choices.

Sabah and Sarawak have always been treated with disdain and contempt by the federal ministers. The only interests they have are the East Malaysian seats and assets that they milk from the two states.

The idea would resonate with both the East and the peninsula. After all, what have we got to lose, considering the situation we are now in and if what the experts are saying is true, is the worse to come?

Maybe Shafie can do a much better job than his predecessors and he can probably count on his Sarawak counterparts for support. Hopefully, he can also stem the flow of racism and bigotry that we have been subjected to, day and night.

The Wakandan: That’s the only good thing going for Shafie, comparatively. Coming from East Malaysia, he is not exposed to the toxic racism and religious bigotry that his counterparts in the peninsula do.

His fault is that he is a bi-product of Mahathirism and has as many skeletons in the closet as those filthy rich ex-BN ministers and PMs.

Every ex-BN minister and PMs in recent decades were the same. They were part of the same institution set up by Mahathir. They all enriched themselves or their children or by proxies. There are just too many skeletons in the cupboard.

What makes Shafie any different? Anwar was an angel compared to them, but perhaps that's because he was too idealistic then, not that he did not have any chance to do what the rest did.

People seem to forget that Harapan wishes for a new Malaysia, not recycled garbage.

MW: If Shafie was selected as PM-designate on merit and unanimously, he might represent something new and the hope of bringing Sabah's multiculturalism to the peninsula.

However, the reality is, the way he's being identified as PM-designate and Harapan's response to Mahathir's unilateral announcement does not inspire confidence that he will be his own man, rather than another in a long line of PMs Mahathir hopes will become his obedient proxy - it will bring no stability, only more politicking.

MS: Shattering myths, Netto? The most enduring myth is that Malaysia is a democracy where the PM is chosen by the people and he reflects their values and champions their priorities.

But that uncomfortable nugget of trivia aside, why do you think an East Malaysian "regardless of the nominee's calibre or other constraints" is even worth considering?

Whatever happened to competence, incorruptibility, ethical behaviour and inclusiveness as prerequisites for national leadership?

Cogito Ergo Sum: The yawing question is, will the peninsular Malays accept Shafie? The “ketuanan” principle is very exclusive and excludes all others, even those in East Malaysia. This has been manifested in appointments and policies over six decades.

Mahathir knows very well that the proposal for Shafie to be PM will only divide Malaysia. So cunning is he that at the end of the day, we will be more divided than ever before, engineered by the master manipulator himself.

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