Berani dalam Benar: Towards a "banana republic"?

Berani dalam Benar: Towards a “banana republic”?

The latest everchanging political mindscape that has been sweeping across the country is bordering on several desperate actions. The “offer” of a minister to “resign” is one symbolic action to desperately save the party from several unintended consequences. By extension the country.

What is clear however, it relates to an individual who is on public record to loudly offer to resign following the conditional pardon of a former Prime Minister to be placed under house arrest! According to several news reports, another minister from the same party, also serving as a Deputy Chairman, clarified that “his resignation pledge was tied to the possible release of [said] former prime minister.” Further, he said freeing the former Prime Minister despite his conviction “would damage the credibility of Malaysia’s judicial system and undermine the principle of rule of law.” 

He also claimed that it would “caused Malaysians to bear RM51.4 billion in debt linked to 1MDB” and to be freed under such circumstances, he [the said minister] “would resign from the Cabinet to defend the integrity of the country’s judicial system.” Excellent!

“This is not a personal matter but a matter of principle,” he was quoted as saying, “adding that he would continue to stand by his position.” Unfortunately, this is not the case thus far. In contrast, to date, it is more of a “personal matter” than anything else. Most certainly, not a matter of principle in defending the integrity of the country’s judicial system, making him look like a desperado, not less. In fact, not only he pledged to resign immediately, but “warning DAP may also quit the unity government.” If not, it makes Malaysia a "banana republic" he purported. The moniker seems to apply more appropriately to the party as long as he remains a minister who would make “justice bends to political convenience.” Adding on: “A person who has already harmed my children and the next generation this badly — and you’re saying he should be allowed to go home and enjoy his retirement? That’s called: where is the law?” 

So why is he still waiting to be the “first” to walk out? Despite framing his resignation pledge “not as a threat, but as the logical conclusion of everything he has stood for.” Where is the logic?

To top it all, it is made clear to many that the decision for the lone resignation from the Cabinet is a “personal one” endorsed by the Central Executive Committee of late. Somehow it is starkly inconsistent with the views previously expressed by several of its leaders. Namely, the other ministers who choose to stay silent. Indeed, on the outside, some regarded this as a political crossroad, and urged the party members to turn their disagreement into concrete action by issuing an ultimatum for crossing a “red line” over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue, if not that of house arrest. Taking in view the risk of another marked flip-flopping (aka U-turn) that tends to point directly to the making of another DAP – the Desperate Action Politics, rearing its head over the last three years or so! 

As such it is not surprising of late, it has already been rumoured that there can be no resignation at all of any one minister! Instead, there may be other unexpected initiatives like a new vehicle plate project resembling the name of the person who is offered the conditional pardon, which in itself is regarded as a “historic land mark” for Malaysia to coincide with its recent anniversary celebrations, after almost 70 years. The project could go a long way to complement the effort in raising the much needed financial support to affirm the conditional pardon. If it is true, as claimed, that more than RM 1 million have been collected so far, imagine what the newly focused plate project will bring. Just like the lofty H-plate exercise aimed to partly mitigate and lighten the burden said to be faced by taxi drivers, this time it can surely help to mitigate the RM 50 million fine imposed as a condition for the pardon to be executed. 

Still another initiative is to nullify the current offer of resignation by rightly substituting it with another one or two minister(s) who have more than personal justifications to do so. This came much closer to the initial aspirations implicating the various ministers to “resign” as well. What is more, the de-making of a “banana republic” as the person directly involved can walk the talk amidst the new DAP!