YOURSAY | ‘The priority is to get a stable government to take charge of the nation.’

Amanah info chief: Zahid pledged support of 30 Umno MPs for Anwar

Vijay47: If this gift of a Trojan horse from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ever came to pass, it would mean yet another nail in the coffin where rests our pride and honour.

I hold nothing against select individuals, but when it involves 30 Umno MPs, written on an olive branch twirled by Zahid, it only means institutionalised sleeping together with PKR. I believe in corporate circles this osmosis is referred to as reverse takeover.

When it is the Umno president who comes bearing gifts, it surely must come at great cost; it must mean the discontinuance of ongoing prosecution by acquittal through DNAA thus never to be resurrected, and the promise that no fresh charges would be laid, jointly offering similar divine blessings as that frail Sabah gentleman was bestowed 46 times over.

And perhaps as the icing on the cake to be had and eaten, former premier Najib Abdul Razak, already being trounced 0-7 even before half-time, would enjoy the same fortune.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, in your recent shrill rantings, you twice promised to protect kepentingan Melayu (Malay importance). Is this how you intend achieving your glorious objective, by sacrificing Malay pride, self-respect, and yes, dignity, at the altar of political expediency?

If so, why should it shock Malaysians? Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad did it (and again), Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin did it, so why should Anwar not become a traitor?

The only saving grace would be if DAP, and perhaps Amanah, refuse to shatter their honour.

Bobby0: The priority is to get a stable government to take charge of the nation. The nation is at a crossroad and everybody is going to be a loser if we have the present administration running the nation.

What Zahid can contribute is maybe 30 of Umno’s MPs to back Anwar. It will be up to Anwar (should he become prime minister) to select his cabinet. With capable people in the office and a leader to show them the direction in which way the nation needs to move, the people might see some light at the end of the tunnel.

It may not be the perfect solution, but better than the coalition that we have now in office – a directionless administration combined with religious leaders that will take the nation backward in time.

The Covid-19 virus is not going to go away anytime soon. The only solution to it is to find a cure. Otherwise, it will continue to plague the world for a long time.

We need leaders who are farsighted and have to find ways to live with the virus without rocking the economy. We need to start opening the nation soon.

So, it is not the question of Umno supporting Anwar, but the question of the survival of the nation. Politicking must come to an end. Racial indifference must be put to a stop. We need to be united, especially at this juncture.

If they can find a solution and work together, all of us should put our egos aside.

ScarletToucan9986: What all this politicking signal is pure, undeniable selfishness - no more, no less.

Do Zahid and Najib consciously want to throw the country into chaos with this disruption of the (questionable) government? Maybe not. But do they want to save their backsides from being thrown into prison? Absolutely.

And Muhyiddin not resigning? The reason is clear as day, isn't it? He's the PM, with the opportunity to rake in huge sums of money and immense power. Why would anyone give that up easily? And Muhyiddin was raised in Umno after all.

And Anwar? One can hardly blame him for going after that post for which he was promised. When the opportunity arose, which is to gather the support of Umno and overthrow Bersatu, why wouldn't he take it?

The rakyat is just collateral damage in the politicians’ incessant quest for power and money. It is every man for himself in Malaysian politics, as every Malaysiakini reader here already knows. Even though I detest this spineless politicking, it shouldn't be shocking to us anymore, don't you think?

Fellow Malaysian: With Amanah information chief Khalid Samad's revelation, it is becoming clear why Anwar did not provide a list of Umno MPs who Anwar claimed to have pledged support for him and Pakatan Harapan.

The content was wrapped in Zahid's letter, which Anwar had respectfully handed to the Agong when he met the ruler last Tuesday. Coming from the Umno president himself, if true, it is hard to repudiate Zahid's claim.

Khalid's remark also sheds light onto the reason why, of all Umno leaders, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, also popularly known as Ku Li, who doesn’t hold any executive portfolio in the party, was summoned to meet His Majesty.

Shouldn't Zahid be the first person from Umno to be called?

The Wakandan: The picture is getting clearer. We must be blind if all this is just a hoax by a so-called PM-crazy PKR leader.

A few leaders have not denied what Anwar said and that includes Zahid and Amanah. Ku Li was seen going into the palace and both DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah leader Mohamad Sabu also were called (albeit their audience was postponed). If Anwar is lying, then these people, especially Khalid, are lying too.

And we know that it only takes a few MPs to change sides to topple the PN government. The present PM should not be in a denial mode or pretend not to know. He should stand down to avoid more embarrassment.

If Mahathir, whom he toppled, could do the obvious by resigning, Muhyiddin should be man enough to accept the reality that his government is no longer viable. In fact, everybody concerned should be honest and realistic enough to see the picture.

Quigonbond: Khalid should just keep quiet. He is not exactly the popular face of Amanah given his disreputable stint as federal territories minister.

It does not really matter what Zahid and his letter say. He's trying to strike a better deal with Perikatan Nasional (PN), probably getting better ministerial roles plus the deputy prime minister position, and taking Bersatu man Azmin Ali's gang down a notch.

Even if Anwar cannot take over for now, I'll take the small satisfaction knowing that Azmin’s gang has been given a blow. He is the ultimate traitor. I can understand Bersatu DNA, but without Azmin’s 10, the Harapan government would have survived, and Anwar would have been the PM by end of this year.

For the long term, Anwar cannot rely on Umno MPs. The Harapan core has to find a way to win over more voters.

Constitutional Supremacy: If there are 30 MPs from Umno in support of Anwar, that means the whole of Umno is in. This figure cannot be accurate.

There are nine Umno MPs who are ministers. There are more than 10 Umno MPs who are deputy ministers. This is in the PN government under Muhyiddin and most of them have announced they will not support Anwar.

How could Anwar strike a deal which allows the whole of Umno to come into government, including Najib and Zahid?

Beman: Wow, the chief of a political party can now dispatch MPs in the party to support this or that other political party.

I don't believe it is free of charge. There must be a price to pay for the support. If they are unhappy with the price paid, support can be withdrawn any time. This must be what is happening to Muhyiddin.

All this sounds mercenary. MPs have now become foot soldiers that can be sent by their lord to give support to another lord. Serving the interest of the nation and the people is now not high on their agenda.

Now we know why someone is unable to show the specific names behind the "solid" support he claimed to have. The "solid" support is only a "pledge".

OrangePanther1466: All this drama is merely to blackmail Muhyiddin into giving more concessions to Umno. It’s naive to think that Umno would support Anwar and abandon their Maufakat Nasional partner.

Let’s see if Muhyiddin is desperate enough to concede to all their demands. Najib seems to think so. That's why he has been making bold statements. The sad thing is that I think Muhyiddin does not have the wherewithal to resist and will concede.

RR: It is strange that police are investigating Anwar when the right solution is a floor test in Parliament to resolve this matter to see which leader has the majority in Parliament.

Why then are people beating about the bush? In all honesty, the Dewan Rakyat speaker should allow the no-confidence vote in the interests of the nation and put an end to this political drama so that the government of the day under whichever leader will focus to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and build the economy.

YOURSAY | Unthinkable, but can DAP and Umno work together?

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