Tag Archives: Syed Saddiq

Langkah Muar is worth emulating

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Some people see Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s 200km run from Muar to Parliament to raise funds for his constituency as an effort to gain sympathy. Well, that may be one of the reasons.

As an opposition MP, he has been deprived of a RM20 million allocation to his constituency which all government MPs get. Opposition MPs therefore can not service their constituency in the way government MPs can. This may translate to a loss of motive to continue supporting opposition MPs unless the voters’ loyalty to their candidates remains intact.

So, people should be sympathetic towards opposition MPs and support them in every way they can to ensure that the government has a strong opposition.

Another reason for Syed Saddiq’s Langkah Muar from July 1-4 was to draw attention to the government’s refusal to give allocations to all constituencies. Why the government does not want to provide equal constituency funding to all MPs is beyond understanding.

According to a Malaysiakini report (July 4, 2024), Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said the government wanted assurances from the opposition for political stability and their acceptance of the legitimacy of this government until the 16th general election.

Both conditions are undemocratic. It is the constitutional right of voters to want a change of government and they should not be robbed of that right. The legitimacy of the current unity government has always been in question because of the way it was formed with an appointed prime minister. In a democracy prime ministers are elected by the majority.

Hisommudin also said that the government wanted a similar arrangement like “the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability between Putrajaya and Pakatan Harapan during the administration of Ismail Sabri Yaakob”.

In a democracy, a government does not sign an MoU to prevent the Opposition from taking over the government. Any party can initiate a coalition to form a majority government and that is the right of the people that must always be left as a possibility. Signing away that right isn’t democracy.

It was by choice that the Pakatan Harapan as the Opposition then took the initiative to sign the MoU with Sabri. Sabri didn’t bribe them with a promise of constituency funding.

It is a precedent that the current Opposition should not emulate because it is undemocratic.

The Anwar Ibrahim administration is continuing a practice of the past of depriving the Opposition of constituency funds. True to his promise of reform, Anwar should break this practice and not use it to force support for his administration.

Did Syed Saddiq succeed in drawing attention to the plight of the opposition MPs? That is hard to determine. But, I like to think that the people are aware, but, perhaps, they think that there is nothing they can do.

That, however, is not quite true. Syed Saddiq must be given credit for taking the bull by the horns. He could have sat back and limited his service to what his funds allowed. Or, made deals and pledged his support to Anwar, which are what our MPs are prone to do to survive. Or, found the easy way out by announcing in a video that he needs funds and appealed to the people to give it.

He did no such thing. Instead, he held on to democratic principles and, resorted to a healthy, creative and law-abiding way to raise funds for his constituency. He ran.

Syed Saddiq ran and the RM160,000 he collected was honest-to-goodness freely given money.

He did what he could do to solve a problem. That is to be emulated.

We need political leaders who will solve problems, not make things worse. Syed Saddiq’s run was an attempt to solve a problem too big for one person to undertake. But it was a good start. And, more politicians should join him should there be a next attempt at solving a problem. And the people, too, should join him to symbolically declare they would support every effort by leaders to solve problems in the proper way, according to the rule of law.

This young politician is showing that he is not going to take things lying down. He will find a way to lessen the burden of the people and not just depend on the government to keep helping him. That is an attitude that should be applauded and the people should rally behind him.

Waiting to see Syed Saddiq back

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Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman did the right thing in stepping down as Muda president until he can clear his name in court. He is still an MP, and, hopefully, will continue to raise issues of concern to the people in the Dewan Rakyat.

Found guilty of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM1.12 million of Bersatu Youth funds by the High Court, he was sentenced to seven years’ jail, two strokes of the rotan and an RM10m fine. To many, it is a disproportionate sentence to the crime. The sentence, however, has been stayed pending his appeal.

This up-and-coming young politician with a promising future has been brutally thrown off course by vengeful politics. Until his case is disposed of, he will be facing an uncertain future. Right now, understandably, he may be feeling down in the dumps, thinking what’s ahead is the daunting wilderness.

It may be the wilderness he is going to have to walk through but he does not have to wallow in it in despair. Others have had to walk through the wilderness, too. And many came out of it stronger and better people.

No doubt some never made it through; some made it only to lose themselves never to find the mental balance so necessary to live.

But, Syed Saddiq, isn’t one of them. He’s a winner, who has come through so far, and, if he finds his way through and out of the wilderness experience, he is going to go further than he can dream of. When that happens, my only hope is that he will be an example of a leader who others will want to follow.

If by chance, he reads this article, I have a few words of encouragement for him. Firstly, walk, one step at a time. Never stop to wallow but to rest, recover and recreate and then, walk.

Secondly, while walking do a little soul-searching. Where did I go wrong? What could I have done better? Be determined to do better the next time.

Thirdly, explore. What options do I have? What skills can I develop? Take the time available to study the federal constitution and become familiar with it and the principles it espouses. So that when the time comes to represent the people again, you will serve confidently knowing that you are operating within the rule of law. Don’t be like the politicians of the day, willing to compromise the mandate of the people for power and money.

Lastly, don’t walk alone. In essence, we always walk alone. But, along the way, be open to people who extend a hand a friendship, and if they would like to, let them walk with you. It will be an enriching experience for both.

The wilderness may be for a short or long time. No matter how long it is, the barrenness of it demands something from us to add colour to it. In doing so, we become people who can impact our world.

Sometime in the near future, the people will be expecting Syed Saddiq back. When that happens, hopefully, Malaysia will be glad that one of her sons is back where he should be.

MP allocations, MPs and Muda

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Muar MP and Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has made an impact on Parliament after moving from the government side to the Opposition bench. His queries on allocations for MPs have exposed the unity government’s lack of commitment to reforms.

He raised the issue that his allocation was stopped after he moved to the Opposition bench and said that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) promises of reforms were “lies”.

MP allocations have been a persistent issue raised by Opposition MPs in Parliament and despite a supposedly more liberal and previously reform-minded now status quo maintaining unity government, it remains an unresolved issue.

There really is no good reason why Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should not give equal allocations to all MPs because it is not his money; it is taxpayers’ money and if a certain amount is allocated to MPs for constituency work, it is democratic to distribute it to all MPs. Failing to do so is simply being autocratic.

Anwar wants the Opposition to follow his example of asking his predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob for allocations for PH and PH-allied MPs. That was possible because he had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sabri to support the government. The Opposition — no longer a threat to the government — gave Sabri no reason not to comply. Although it was a successful bid, however, it wasn’t democratic because some MPs did not get the allocations.

MP allocations should not be used as leverage to get MPs to conform. It is taxpayers’ money that is the MPs’ right to have to serve their constituents and prime ministers have no right to withhold it and give it to whoever and whenever they wish.

Anwar could have broken away from the practice of the past and easily introduced a law or amendments to ensure that all allocations are equally given to all MPs. There is no justifiable reason why Anwar has failed to introduce such a law when it is in his power to do so.

The prime minister has not understood that his lack of action on this issue will backfire on him and the party that will suffer most from it will be his own, PKR. If an equal MP allocation law is not initiated now, when PH is no longer in government — that might happen sooner than expected — it is Anwar’s own party, PKR, which, as the Opposition, will suffer most without allocations.

PH partner DAP can raise private funds and could survive without MP allocations. Amanah, its other partner, if it can not survive has the option to join another coalition. But, what will become of PKR? Anwar has to think of his own party as well.

Syed Saddiq alluded to this when he raised the issue of MP allocations but all the queries are falling on deaf ears because MPs are not holding the prime minister to democratic principles and the federal constitution.

It is time that MPs started doing their homework on what the federal constitution states regarding the issues brought up in the Dewan Rakyat and argue and seek clarifications based on it.

Even with regard to Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s dismissal not amounting to a dismissal (DNAA), the questions regarding the PM’s role was restricted to the conversation he had with former Attorney-General Idrus Harun who had sought for Zahid’s DNAA.

Questions should have been asked about the reasons for extending the tenure of the AG and the constitutional basis for the decision. MPs should have a sense of what issues would be raised and seek clarification based on the constitution and principles of parliamentary democracy.

Even with regard to the sensitive issues of race, religion and royalty, the prime minister can be queried for the constitutional basis of his decisions. Constitutionally, MPs can not question the royals of their decisions and conduct. There is no need to. But MPs owe it to the people to question the prime minister of any decision or issue pertaining to royalty with regard to the running of the government.

If MPs know what the constitution says on the issues of race, religion and royalty, it would give them the confidence to query the PM with regard to these issues and hold him to abide by the rules of parliamentary democracy and the federal constitution.

The people are not interested in whatever personal explanations or bureaspeak the government spews. The people want to know if the government is operating within the confines of the law, the federal constitution and the principles of parliamentary democracy that we practise. Only MPs who know and understand democratic principles will have the courage to raise such issues and ground the debate according to the constitution. It will expose the abuse of power and poor governance.

Syed Saddiq, the lone people’s representative from Muda in the Dewan Rakyat, is doing his job but he needs more to join him. There should be more Muda representatives in Parliament and the state governments to fight on behalf of the people.

That can happen only if Muda proves to be a well-set-up grassroots-based organization. That’s the first thing Muda should do: Go town to town, city to city, and sign up members. When they have enough, hold party elections so that every person holding office in Muda is elected. It can then participate in a state or federal election knowing that it has a grassroots base that can be mobilised to get more voters.

If Muda gets itself more organised from the grassroots upwards, it can enter elections confidently and expect better results.

MPs who speak up and Muda’s now moment

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For the first time since PKR president and PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister, PH and PH-allied MPs are speaking up. Up to now, former vocal PH MPs have kept their thoughts to themselves, but now they have begun asking the Anwar government questions.

Just recently, PKR’s Subang MP Wong Chen, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung and Selayang MP William Leong Jee Keen urged the government to consider declassifying PJD Link’s concession agreement from the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972.

They — rightly — could not see the reason for secrecy, as a toll highway agreement does not involve trade secrets or intellectual property or in some way exposes a national threat. These are the three considerations to place an issue under the OSA.

An answer is still forthcoming and until the people get an answer, one can only conclude that whatever the government considers a “secret” has little or no benefit to the people. If it did, the government would have loudly proclaimed it!

Nevertheless, these MPs must be credited for doing their job and querying their PM even if they belong to the latter’s party and may have to face the consequences!

They understand the principle that an MP’s loyalty is first to his/her constituents. This must come first even if it goes against their PM. In fact, especially if their leaders’ actions need to be questioned!

Likewise, with Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is the president of Muda, which is a party in the incumbent unity government. He broke the silence on his side by raising the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal in the ongoing session of Parliament.

Syed Saddiq told Parliament that he had submitted a motion to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul to discuss the LCS scandal in detail but that it was rejected because the issue was “not a matter of public interest” and “not urgent”. He has asked the Speaker to reconsider the decision.

The Speaker explained that his reasons for rejecting the MP’s request were that they did not fulfill standing orders.

The point, however, is that no other MP raised the issue especially when the Anwar government had increased the cost while the number of ships to deliver was reduced. This is an issue of national importance as it involves taxpayers’ money and was vehemently criticised by PH MPs, including Anwar, and yet, it is not allowed for debate?

Strange! But kudos to Syed Saddiq for raising the issue. Hopefully, more MPs will follow suit and more such issues will be heard in Parliament.

The objective is not to criticise Anwar for the sake of criticising but to raise issues of concern for the people and one or two do it occasionally, but more MPs should be doing it.

Raising the LCS scandal in Parliament may work well in Muda’s favour. It is an issue that would resonate with urban voters, especially the youth, and win support for Muda aspirants who want a shot at becoming assemblypersons and take part in the coming state elections.

Urban voters, Malays and non-Malays, especially in Selangor and Negri Sembilan, disappointed by PH, may want an alternative voice to represent them. Muda may be that choice. Muda’s appeal to urban youths should be galvanized with public issues such as the LCS scandal.

If it intends to get support from disgruntled PH supporters and those who didn’t vote in the previous election, Muda needs to rethink its alliance with PH. Muda needs to know if it is willing to continue backing Anwar knowing fully well that means backing the powerful forces behind him. If by backing Anwar, it would be difficult for Muda to move forward in Anwar’s unity government, then, it may be better for Muda to go independent.

If Muda wins enough seats it might end up as the kingmaker! It should deploy a strategy of alienating neither PH nor the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) and contest seats where neither is likely to win.

PN parties Bersatu and PAS may not be able to relate with the urban Malays or non-Malay voters as well as they can in the conservative north. The only party allied with PN that might be able to resonate with urban voters is Pejuang — if it drops race-bashing and if it has been able to win some more grassroots support.

Urban voters need another platform to freely express their concerns. Muda may be poised to fill that vacuum now. It may lose all the seats it contests but, then, again it might win a few!

A way to wipe the slate clean

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DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman should be commended for not taking a position in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity cabinet. In doing so, they are respecting the judicial process to dispose of their corruption cases and not hold public office until the courts clear them of all charges.

Although legally they can hold public office on the grounds of being innocent until proven guilty, they are putting the rights of voters first by not compromising the latter’s trust in their elected MPs and holding public office when they are facing corruption charges in court. If an MP is facing court charges, how can he/she be trusted with the resources of the people? To avoid any breach of trust, it would be wiser for the MP to simply not hold public office.

Lim and Syed Saddiq are demonstrating that as MPs or politicians seeking public office, they are putting the interests of the voters above the legal leeway they have. That should be the political convention a reform-minded government should be encouraging. Evidence of such reforms are still yet to be seen.

Instead, a number of politicians facing corruption charges in court stood for election in GE15 and won. Worse still one became the prime minister and another a deputy prime minister. They are simply snubbing the judiciary and implying that the charges are politically motivated. That may be the case but having been elected they must respect the judicial process and leave it to the courts to judge if the evidence proves their claims or not, and abide by it.

Until then, they should not have put the burden of choosing and legitimising a “tainted” candidate on the voters. That is, in fact, giving the voters no choice at all, which is totally undemocratic.

Frankly, it is surprising that the Election Commission (EC) accepted the nomination papers of these candidates. The EC chairman is appointed by the prime minister and that, perhaps, explains why he could not act independently, according to the expectations of the law and rejected the papers. If he had the courage to do it, we would not have leaders whose political integrity is in doubt in the cabinet.

If Anwar, who for more than two decades built his party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), on cries of reform, is truly committed to introducing political reforms in government and rooting out corruption, perhaps, he should consider implementing the main point of the GE15 election manifesto of Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), the coalition led by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s party, Pejuang.

The main point of GTA’s manifesto is to put the appointment of nine key government officers under the purview of Parliament where they will be selected through select parliamentary committees.

The key officers are the attorney-general, inspector-general of police, chief justice, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner, armed forces chief, chief secretary to the government, Treasury secretary-general, auditor-general, and the Bank Negara Malaysia governor.

If Anwar’s unity government passes a confidence vote in the first sitting of the 15th Parliament on Dec 19, and he is serious about wiping out corruption in government, he should consider implementing GTA’s anti-corruption plan — with GTA’s permission, of course.

GTA is also an opposition coalition and for the sake of the good of the country, it may be willing for the unity government to implement its plan to place the key nine officials in public office accountable to Parliament.

After all, the notion of a unity government was first bandied about by GTA chairman Mahathir when he became prime minister for the second time. It took root post-GE15 due to the king’s efforts with Anwar now leading it. If GTA was approached, some arrangement could be made to facilitate Anwar to execute the plan to give independence to these key top nine officials.

Anwar could at the same time separate the function of the prosecution from the Attorney-General’s Chambers and it may work in Anwar’s favour to clear his name from his pending sodomy case. Selected by a parliamentary select committee, the head of the prosecution may examine all the cases at its disposal and cancel cases that do not merit prosecution. Without executive interference, it would be proof that those cleared of the charges are truly innocent. If Anwar’s case is cleared in this way, the sodomy charge will no longer hang over his head, ever.

It would be wiping the slate clean and starting all over again on a clean footing. The question, however, is whether Anwar has the will to do the right thing and take the initiative and execute a plan to wipe out corruption in the government and prove whether the cases against MPs are politically motivated or not. Are he and his unity government prepared to face the truth?

Candidates who should sit out GE15

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For the first time in Malaysian history, candidates who are facing court charges have been selected for election in GE15. They are Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the Bagan Datok seat, Pakatan Harapan chairman and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim for Tambun, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng for Bagan, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for Muar and Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Yunos for Sungai Besar. Adding to the list are Zahid’s court cluster cohorts in Umno.

Technically, they can claim that they have not yet been found guilty and therefore are innocent. However, Anwar was found guilty of a previous sodomy charge although pardoned. But, he still faces another sodomy charge that is yet to be disposed of. Hence, the question has to be raised as to why he is standing for election.

His case is no doubt not a criminal case like Lim’s, Zahid’s and his court cluster’s and Syed Saddiq’s, but it is still a case that tarnishes his moral standing and until he is cleared in court, Anwar should not stand for election.

Anwar can argue that he was pardoned when PH was in government but that was before the new sodomy case was initiated. He may also argue that if Zahid can stand for election so can he. Well, Umno politicians are unscrupulous and will do anything to gain power. Is Anwar like them?

Jamal, unlike Umno’s court cluster, is in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings initiated by former Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who said in a news report today that he is likely to be declared bankrupt. He has stated that as long as he has yet to receive a bankruptcy order from the courts he is qualified to run in the polls.

Zahid and his court cluster, Lim and Syed Saddiq, who are facing criminal charges in court, should also sit out this general election until they are cleared by the courts.

Should all these candidates facing court cases be found guilty or declared a bankrupt, they would have to step down and by-elections would have to be called, which is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Their political futures too would be in question.

Zahid and his court cluster and Jamal, of course, can’t be expected to conduct themselves in any better way other than the way they have conducted themselves. But opposition candidates?

It is extremely disappointing that these opposition politicians who have always held the high moral ground with regard to jailed former prime minister Najib Razak’s financial muddling, have failed to apply the same standards for themselves.

Understandably, Anwar and Lim who are at the end of their political careers can go for broke. Make it or break it. But Syed Saddiq, 29, should not jeopardize his political career by standing for election while his criminal case is ongoing. It will come back to sully his chances for a controversy-free political future.

Nobody expects Zahid, the court cluster or Jamal to set the example and pull out from the elections, being from a corrupt party, but more is expected of Anwar, Lim and Syed Saddiq unless, of course, their supporters have lowered their expectations quite drastically in favour of political expediency!

Anwar and Lim as veterans should set the example and not stand for election so that potential young, future leaders such as Syed Saddiq follow suit and step aside in order to keep their reputations intact.

The participation of the elder two in GE15 is as baffling as the silence they have maintained over the recent reports of alleged negotiations taking place between PH and Umno. The leaders of all the PH partners have noticeably not said a word on the issue.

Their silence can only mean guilt or a compromise to enable them to form a government with Umno. It is an option PH may be keeping open and one that must be made public.

Any kind of cooperation with Umno must be revealed to the voting public because, unlike all the other parties and coalitions, Umno is toxic and any alliance with it will only continue the political instability the country has been experiencing since the Sheraton Moves.

PH should not risk the political stability of the country in order to form a government with Umno with Anwar as prime minister.

Anwar recently appealed to fence-sitters to give PH a solid majority in GE15. He needs to understand that these fence-sitters are urbanites in the traditional opposition strongholds who gave their votes to PH to boot out Umno from the government in 2018. To expect them to support PH to bring Umno back into the government is to consider them fools. If, somehow, they are fooled to give their support, and after the elections find they have been played, PH can expect a defeat at their hands in subsequent elections just as they were punished in the Malacca and Johor state elections.