YOURSAY | ‘If this continues, Malaysians hoping for change might have to keep ‘harap’-ing.’
I'm not going to be PM until 100, Dr M's take on 'interim PM' debate
Gerard Lourdesamy: The constitution only makes reference to prime minister and not to an interim, provisional or permanent prime minister.
PKR, please grow up. The nomenclature is not important. The person to be appointed as prime minister can resign at any time for whatever reason if Pakatan Harapan decides to replace Dr Mahathir Mohamad with Anwar Ibrahim or somebody else at a later date. The only requirement is that he must command the confidence of the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Mahathir is going to be 93 years old this year. So there is no risk of him staying on forever. It will take time for Anwar to be released and for his disqualification as an MP to be lifted by the Agong. In the interim, which may be up to two years or less, Mahathir is the best candidate to be prime minister.
Personally, I think Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and Bersatu vice-president Mukhriz Mahathir would be a good bet for prime minister and deputy prime minister given their age, experience and charisma.
But the voters may want a safe pair of hands in the person of Mahathir to be in charge if there is to be a change of government in the 14th general election (GE14).
Anonymous_1419577444: This is a case of some people being hung up on form instead of focusing on the substance.
What we have here is a proposal that former premier and Pakatan Harapan chairperson Mahathir be the prime minister if Harapan wins.
His government will make an effort to have PKR de facto leader Anwar pardoned and be eligible to take over. When all the ducks are in a row, Mahathir will give way to Anwar.
What is important is Mahathir living up to his words in future. It does not matter if he is called by whatever title when he becomes prime minister.
Why not just call him "prime minister" and when he steps down, a new prime minister takes over. Stop dwelling on inconsequential stuff and move on to deal with more important issues.
RedHero: I can understand that the Reformasi grassroots may not be appeased with Mahathir being the prime minister for now.
It is for the PKR leadership to go to the ground and ease these concerns that once Anwar is released/pardoned and eligible, he will no doubt be considered for the prime minister role.
For now, at least PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and deputy president Azmin will hold senior roles in Harapan. So PKR, get your act together fast and commit by this weekend!
Abasir: That at least one Harapan member party is still struggling with naming Mahathir as PM-designate reveals not just its political immaturity but its inability to read the scribblings on the walls of Umno branches.
If this unwillingness to take a calculated chance with the old warhorse results in a candidate in need of serious marketing, Malaysians hoping for change might have to keep “harap”-ing.
Anonymous 459: The country has millions of rakyat who are not 92 years old, never had several heart operations and fit to be prime minister. If you cannot find any from the current politicians, I am ready to be a candidate for the opposition.
What’s Dr M’s apology got to do with it?
Anonymous 2413471460628504: Those who want Mahathir to apologise in ways demeaning enough to satisfy them, well, they are just thinking about themselves and not about the country. It's petty, small-minded and selfish.
They should just get off their high horses and examine their own psyche. Why the need for this apology before getting on with real work?
If they do not think he can be trusted, then their stance should be that they reject him as representing them in opposing the government. Why an apology before he can represent them?
But no, they want him to satisfy and acknowledge whatever wrongs they feel they have suffered. Have we really suffered from his failures? In a personal way?
Mahathir may have failed to set the country on the best path, maybe not even the top 10 better paths, but he was hardly a robber or murderer who has personally robbed or killed our family.
I cannot understand this obsession with needing an apology. Can we just please get on with making this country better?
Anonymous 242641505703475: I like Eleanor Roosevelt's motto: "You'll be damned if you do; and damned if you don't. So, anyway, you will be damned! Then, just do what you feel in your heart is right."
Damned, damned, damned! So, why apologise? After all, you have done what you felt in your heart to be right. Whatever action you take, there will always be some donkeys who will oppose your idea and your action. You can never please everybody. So, why bother?
Of course, on hindsight, a person may come to realise that he has made mistakes; and thus wish to rectify those mistakes. Then perhaps he should be given a second chance. So be it. But, throw him into the tiger's cage, if he goes back to his old ways!
Madam X: I absolutely agree. Action speaks louder than words.
Mahathir should be given a chance to undo as many wrongs as possible. But as long as people keep harping on the sincerity of his apology, the present regime will continue to rule forever. Which is the greater evil?
Anonymous 2457571486440266: What scares me the most is how the Malaysian population in general saw no problem in giving the BN government in the day under Mahathir's rule full majority, while obvious human rights abuses were happening.
So one can complain about the wrongs done by the previous, and current BN governments, but the true consent to these wrongs lies with the people of Malaysia.
It is said that each country has the government it deserves, and judging by the high level of ignorance among Malaysians in general when it comes to effort and desire to improve the quality of life of their countrymen, one can only conclude that this saying is true.
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