The Diversity of Political Compromise

Press Statement by Datuk Huan Cheng Guan,
Vice-President, Parti Cinta Malaysia

For Immediate Release

The Diversity of Political Compromise

Just how far is Mahathir willing to bend backwards in his bid to oust Najib?

The answer is a backbending exercise beginning with Clare Rewcastle-Brown that ballooned into a miscalculated political move with his Bersih debut.

Far from the apologist articles spewn around the media glorifying Mahathir as a repentant hero, I would see him as a desperado, ready to sacrifice his remaining ideals all for a personal crusade.

It confounds logic that some argue Mahathir's presence tipped the scale of perception that Bersih 4 was a “Chinese thing”. Despite the fact that majority of Bersih attendees were Chinese,  Mahathir's presence showed how he did not care about UMNO sentiments about Bersih and hypocritically attempted to legitimise Bersih by virtue of his attendance.

Life does not work that way.

It was a serious political blunder as Mahathir forgot many Malays still, despite all his failings, look up to him as a formidable statesman. And yet, this appearance not once but twice at Bersih, has show how Mahathir is ready to throw caution to the wind with complete disregard for the government which he had controlled for 22 years to ride on the glory of Bersih just so he can spit at the status quo by saying how he does not support Bersih but supports the rakyat.

We are not as stupid as he thinks.

One does not need to make a cameo appearance just to support the rakyat.

A plain and simple press statement or press conference would suffice.

But no, Mahathir could not resist that one minute of glory by showing up at Bersih and making such a contentious speech at Central Market.

And he could not be bothered that he is once again sleeping with the enemy, even to the extent of doing what he himself condemned when he was Prime Minister.

And so, he is always right. Whether or not one has the right to express dissent, Mahathir has the last say. And whether Bersih is legitimate or not, again Mahathir has the last say.

Such is the diversity of Mahathir's political compromise - a selfish old man indeed.