QUESTION TIME | Take a good look at the three in the photo above - you know all of them. But let not time dim the great travesty that all three of them committed against the rakyat, becoming traitors to the collective will of Malaysians when they lied, cheated, and broke promises to engineer the downfall of a democratically elected government.

On May 9, 2018, a despicable decadent dictatorship headed by Najib Abdul Razak, the son of the second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, was overthrown by a motley coalition, Pakatan Harapan, whose leaders inexplicably and unaccountably allowed a previous despot and the master of patronage politics to become interim prime minister.

It was an incredibly bad decision by all in the core coalition of PKR, DAP and Amanah to not only admit Bersatu - a racist party, headed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad - but to allow him to become PM.

When Umno’s 61-year iron grip on the country, which progressively descended into corruption and decline from 1981 onwards after Mahathir became PM, was decisively broken, it was correctly heralded as a victory against authoritarianism, increasing corruption, total disregard of the rule of law, and the breakdown of transparency, accountability, and good governance. But the victory lay in shambles just 22 months later.

The first villain in this sorry episode in the nation’s history is, of course, Mahathir, now ex-prime minister for the second time. But coming close behind him are Muhyiddin Yassin, now prime minister and Azmin Ali, now senior minister. If any one of them had not betrayed the rakyat, we would not have the current explosive political situation in the country.

Even as Sabah goes to the polls and as national polls may be held soon, but more likely later given the shaky position of Perikatan Nasional, or PN, as clearly demonstrated by the Sabah fight over seat allocations, Malaysians of all races must forever remember the role the three traitors played in thwarting their genuine aspirations for a better, more inclusive country...