YOURSAY | ‘Let truth be the judge. Honestly, Anwar does not have the numbers…’
Anwar appealed to allies to let budget pass first vote, vows fight at committee stage
Straight Talk: I hope opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim knows what he is doing. So far, it does not look like he is.
If another one of his strategic stunts backfires, it will impact badly, once again, on his already weak leadership abilities.
He has been crying wolf too many times, building up expectations, and not delivering on his promises.
IndigoTrout2522: Whether the decision by Pakatan Harapan not to call for bloc voting is a good tactical move or not is not as relevant as what is being perceived by the rakyat.
It showed miscommunication, division and confusion. Harapan should have called a meeting with their MPs to discuss the matter so that it will be a united decision.
It must learn from this lesson immediately and, honestly, it is really bad. All their MPs must demand this prior to the next vote. It looks like they are a bunch of novices.
That said, no one should jump to conclusions yet. DAP leader Anthony Loke had explained clearly the reason for not calling for a bloc vote.
If it is their strategy, then it is okay. They must have sensed that the opposition did not have sufficient votes to defeat the budget in its first round.
The budget process is still continuing in Parliament.
Cogito Ergo Sum: On a day when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government could have been brought down, Anwar, you pull a stunt like this.
It appears that both you and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad are really not suitable to run the country.
The rakyat does not want the regime to run the country. Which part of ‘Do No Want’ do you not understand?
We are disappointed with even the DAP. Use your common sense for the common good of the people and not one person. Sigh. We are done with you lot in the opposition.
GoldenGiraffe4932: I am with Anwar. He would have been blasted by the government and rakyat had Harapan rejected the measures to help the rakyat as announced by the finance minister.
The real test will be on Monday where voting will be done at the committee stage.
Malaysia Bharu: Anwar's backtracking looks more like a ‘wayang’. Does the opposition have the numbers to make a difference at the committee stage?
From what we understand, the speaker has set a half-day limit on Parliament functions and also the number of MPs in attendance citing Covid-19 as an excuse. Again, will he allow bloc voting? What if he opts for a voice vote?
From what we have seen, the corrupt regime will go to any length to push through at the ministry stage. The spineless and biased speaker may just use his power to clamp down on the vote and bulldoze the budget at the committee stage too.
Frank: Shouldn't people have contingency plans all along? Plan A. Plan B. Plan C.
Truly in Malaysia, risk assessments and management are not part and parcel of doing things. But this has to change - and now look at what is happening.
Malaysia, again and again, they - no, we - have failed you.
Anony: What would we do if we were the opposition leader?
1. Defeat the budget, force an election resulting in more people dying of Covid-19, and you’ll get blamed.
2. Allow the budget to go through the first stage and try to block it at the committee stage, but get scolded and yelled at by every urbanite.
Mooncake (2eggyolks): When people suggested that Anwar be the next PM many of us agreed.
Not so much that we trust him or believe in his capability, but more out of desperation.
We are akin to a losing football team and Anwar is the only striker on the bench who can be fielded right now.
Hardly a minute on the field and into the game, he has scored an own goal. What a disappointment.
May he continue to be prime minister-in-waiting for life.
OrangePony5652: Let truth be the judge. Honestly, Anwar does not have the numbers to negate the budget.
Had he opposed it, he will lose to PN openly as he knew the support from those corrupt politicians in Umno awaiting prison terms are no longer on his side and that would be a big slap on the face.
He is buying time to prolong his quest for the PM post hoping that there will be a change of allegiance if further demands by those corrupt Umno MPs in the next few weeks are not met by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
He sees a glimmer of light flickering at the back door.
Headhunter: Anwar is a gone case. He failed to exert his power when it was offered to him on a silver platter. Backdoor or not, Muhyiddin is looking good.
If Muhyiddin starts to distance himself from PAS and Umno, inches closer to the opposition, and projects himself as a PM for all, he might have a good chance to stay until the next election.
The reality is, no one can match him at the moment. Neither Mahathir nor Anwar.
Malubossku: It’s high time for Anwar to retire and allow somebody younger and more aggressive to take over PKR leadership.
For The Love Of Malaysia: Some people are winners and some are just losers.
You only have this chance to seize the moment. If you can't, please resign and let others who are better to take over. I personally think Anwar’s time is over.
Let's move on. The country should be governed with new faces and capable leaders. Younger and better.
For me, even Azmin Ali, without the video scandal, is far more intelligent than any MP in Malaysia besides Khairy Jamaluddin.
Mujahid: I hope you’re joking about Azmin.
FairMalaysian: Umno had no choice but to support the budget because most of their demands had been met.
Rejecting a budget that involves the frontliners is not good at all. Those people have put their lives at stake for our wellbeing, and voting against the budget indeed may earn the wrath of the people.
I believe Anwar. I don't think it is a spin. Rather it is a masterstroke. Getting down to specifics at each committee level is going to be a pain for the PN government and each minister.
The vote count loss at each stage will be tantamount to a loss of confidence. Let us get on with the business of scrutinising the budget.
OrangeJaguar9341: It would have been reactionary and irresponsible to simply reject the much-modified budget without having had a chance to scrutinise it and without being certain of their voting numbers.
Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz should not have been allowed to change the budget to this extent at the last minute, but he did.
At the committee stage, the real work begins, leading hopefully to a rational, responsible, and resounding decision on Dec 17 (final vote on the budget).
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