COMMENT | Who is the most powerful person in Malaysia?

COMMENT | The 15th general election is in the air, and we must identify a suitable leader.

The most powerful person in Malaysia needs powerful allies but fears his friends more than his enemies.

He does not confuse power with authority and knows that he does not require a title, like Datuk, to be powerful.

He is gripped with curiosity at the things that occur around him and is not afraid to question, or challenge others.

He has been conditioned not to annoy royalty, but by acting with dignity and self-respect, knows that he will be treated like a king, without having to wear a crown.

The most powerful person in Malaysia is focused on the things that really matter, and is not distracted by gossip, drama, or issues about race, religion, and royalty.

He will engage with others and try to inspire those from outside his own immediate circle, not just those from his own social standing.

Zahid, Ismail Sabri, or Mahathir?

The most powerful person in Malaysia cannot be former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahathir has offered to be PM, again. In the past, he could make and break PMs but people soon realised what he stood for. Himself.

Today, Mahathir has trouble courting attention. The world has moved on, but his aim is to help only the Malays.

Could the most powerful man in Malaysia be Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi?

Christmas came early for Zahid, and his wishes came true when he was acquitted of all 40 corruption charges

Whilst he was on trial, he was desperate for the prime minister to dissolve Parliament and call for GE15, even if flood waters threatened people's lives and their livelihood. He strongly believes that Umno will triumph, and only then could he become prime minister.

Zahid has difficulty earning the respect of the rakyat. He likes to bully journalists and has questionable friends. He is not the most powerful person in Malaysia.

Could the most powerful person be Ismail Sabri Yaakob?

Having tasted absolute power ever since becoming prime minister, Ismail Sabri is reluctant to relinquish that role too quickly and easily.

He lacks creative solutions to make Malaysia an economic powerhouse again. He is under the illusion that speaking Malay on the international circuit will make Malaysia attractive to foreign investors.

We sometimes feel as if we live in a parallel universe, where under-performing Malay companies co-exist alongside non-Malay companies, as in the Low Yat II debacle.

Ismail Sabri may have bought himself some extra time with the attorney-general's appeal against Zahid's acquittal. In his heart, Ismail Sabri is probably desperate for Zahid to keep Najib company.

Ismail Sabri is too generous with the rakyat's money and rewards his supporters with government posts, GLC positions, and even free trips at our expense to cities like New York.

So, what was achieved by inviting former Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Said to New York?

Ahmad organised an expensive tour to Antarctica, just before he stepped down as MB. He called it a study tour on climate change, perhaps to discover ways to curb the flooding in Terengganu. We have yet to hear how his Antarctica tour helped Terengganu.

No! Ismail Sabri is not the most powerful person in Malaysia.

Don’t waste your vote

Could the IGP be the most powerful man in Malaysia?

No! He is busy with other priorities such as looking at opposition politicians and scrutinising Twitter and social media accounts instead of tackling crime and the causes of crime.

Could the Petronas chairperson be the most powerful man in Malaysia?

No! The chairperson’s power is limited. He may have influence in the oil business, but he is beholden to the prime minister and his advisers.

Could the home minister be the most powerful man in Malaysia?

He may be culturally challenged and is possibly the most dangerous man in Malaysia, but he is not the most powerful.

Can opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claim to be the most powerful man in Malaysia? No! Truly powerful people will not be afraid to hand over the reins to a younger person.

Is the most powerful person in Malaysia the head of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim)?

Someone who uses religion to condition people's behaviour is absolutely not a powerful person.

Is the most powerful person in Malaysia the leader of PAS?

Abdul Hadi Awang is a misogynist and is focused on the afterlife. He fears the hidden power of women, uses religion to control Malays, and can't even resolve the teh tarik-like fluid flowing from the water taps in Kelantan. Hadi cannot claim to be the most powerful person in Malaysia.

So, who is the most powerful person in Malaysia?

It is you!

Your vote in GE15 can determine who will rule the country. Do not waste your vote, because if you refuse to vote, someone else will impersonate you and perhaps vote for someone you detest. Do not keep silent in the face of corruption, injustice and abuse of power.

You may not realise it, but as an individual you are strong. When you team up with others, you are invincible. You are the most powerful person in Malaysia.

They know they stand no chance of all of you banding together and working towards taking away their 'power'. They are afraid of this. They just don't want you to realise it.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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