04-24-2023, 10:31 AM
A MODERN-DAY Malaysian Rip Van Winkle who woke up from a six-month slumber yesterday can be forgiven for thinking that the country’s political landscape has not changed much since the 15th General Election (GE15).
The national poll saw Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made Prime Minister (PM) after winning support from several disparate parties. But beyond that, little has changed.
The coalition parties Anwar cobbled together had been at loggerheads for the longest time. And they are still at it despite supposedly being on the same political side now.
To paraphrase ex-PM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, this unholy alliance is like a forced marriage of convenience. He stopped short of saying that this political matrimony is set to crumble – as most marriages not built on trust and love are.
And who can blame Ismail Sabri when coalition partners in Anwar’s unity government do not even have the decency to bury their “marital woes” but chose to openly bicker about their differences?
For example, DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang openly sparred with UMNO stalwart and ex-deputy minister Datuk Dr Puad Zakarshi over UMNO’s decision to appeal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to set jailed former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak free.
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