Is harping on the past facing political reality for Malaysians?

Is harping on the past facing political reality for Malaysians?

As No News Is Bad News has posted and warned, Malaysians will be subjected to Barisan Nasional-Umno-controlled print and electronic media propaganda to confuse and split the Opposition voters. (Read these for context: http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/08/1mdb-najib-to-call-for-snap-polls-in.html, http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/08/1mdb-najib-led-umno-to-rule-malaysia.html, http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/08/mahathir-race-based-bersatu-only-way-to.html and http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/08/malaysian-politics-facing-reality.html)

Some will do it very professionally and subtly, while others will be so blatantly bias. The intention is the same - split the rakyat (people)’s support for the Opposition and the unity of Opposition leaders and parties to the advantage of BN-Umno in the 14th General Election (GE14).

mysinchew.com, the English online news portal of Malaysia’s No.1 vernacular Chinese daily, Sin Chew Jit Poh, posted on Aug 26, 2016, a commentary titled “Mahathir’s cheap apology”.

It’s a classic example of whacking and splitting the Opposition professionally and subtly.

Like what has been posted by No News Is Bad News, Dr Mahathir Mohamad had made many mistakes during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.

So, to many Malaysians, it’s difficult to forgive Mahathir for his past “administrative misdeeds”.

But what is missing in the mysinchew.com is that it provides no plausible political solution to Malaysia’s current socio-economic political woes.

It only dwells with whacking Mahathir and his past, akin to sowing hatred for the man and thereby sabotaging any attempt to have the Opposition unite for GE14.

What is mysinchew.com’s take on the ongoing global multi-billion-ringgit money-laundering probes allegedly linking 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and Prime Minister Najib Razak?

Too hot to handle? Too risky to touch as Sin Chew Jit Poh’s print licence is at stake?

Read the four No News Is Bad News links above, compare the reproduction of the mysinchew.com commentary below and form your own judgment on the need for Malaysians to continue harping on the past and hatred, or on the importance of facing political reality and the future:

Mahathir's cheap apology
2016-08-26 14:52
Ironically, given the confrontation between Mahathir and PM Najib, the former PM's action two decades ago has done the incumbent a huge favor today.

By TAY TIAN YAN
Translated by DOMINIC LOH
Sin Chew Daily

Tun Mahathir apologized for the actions he had taken to amend the Constitution to curtail the role of the royalty; and on the same day, he came under the censure of the Johor Sultan for criticizing "Bangsa Johor".

During the 1990s, Mahathir moved to amend the Federal Constitution, making a government bill to automatically become law without the need for royal consent. At that time, he had all the powers to himself and was bold enough to take on the Malay Rulers who were, and are still, enjoying very noble status in the Malay society.

He could even rally the whole nation and the media to stand by him as he banked on the bruised image of the royalty from the assault of hockey coach Douglas Gomez, successfully creating the legitimacy for a constitutional amendment.

That could be the feather in the cap of Mahathir during his 22-year reign. Compared to his other iron-fisted actions such as Ops Lalang, removal of Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh, Anwar Ibrahim and the Chief Justice -- which caused him dearly in terms of public outcry -- his constitutional stint was a total success with zero negative repercussions, not to mention a decisive boost to his popularity and credibility as a consequence.

On the other hand, the power of the Malay Rulers has since suffered for the following decades until after the 2008 general elections when the royalty emerged once again as a third force to balance things out between the ruling coalition and the opposition front.

Out of everyone's expectation, Mahathir's first ever apology has been for his most successful battle in decades.

Najib's National Security Council Act came into effect automatically despite the disapproval of the Conference of Rulers and the failure of Yang di-Pertuan Agong to grant his royal consent within the stipulated period of time.

Prior to the constitutional amendment in 1994, the bill could have no chance of going into effect without the consent of the King.

Ironically, given the confrontation between Mahathir and Najib, the former PM's action two decades ago has done the incumbent a huge favor today.

A careful inspection of his apology reveals no apparent theme or principle, especially in view of the fact that the apology was targeted neither at the Malay Rulers nor the rakyat, as if he was apologizing to himself, all for himself only.

In the meantime, his criticism of "Bangsa Johor" has invited the backlash not only from the state royalty but ordinary Johoreans as well.

Under normal circumstances, "Bangsa Johor" is more of a controversy between federalism and localism. If federalism becomes more dominant, then localism will have to take a back seat, and vice versa. Whether federalism or localism should take precedence depends wholly on which between the two is more powerful.

Given the fact that the federal government is suffering from poor credibility and public image while the Johor royalty enjoys unprecedented popularity, it is natural that Johoreans will feel more attached to, and take pride in, their "Bangsa Johor" identity.

Sure enough acceptance of the "Bangsa Johor" concept cannot be construed as rejection of the Federation. The two can go side by side in peace if a Johorean is both proud of his state and the country.

Mahathir couldn't be more embarrassed by the Sultan's words: "He goes around dividing the people, including the Malays, while I do my utmost to unite Malaysians of all races, including the Malays."
- See more at: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/115200#sthash.h36xgHmY.dpuf