sideviews

Save Malaysia from hypocrites – Shakira Iskandar

March 06, 2016

The "Save Malaysia" movement has caught its biggest fish yet – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

A defiant Dr Mahathir read out the Citizens' Declaration to the media, live-streamed to thousands of viewers, amplified to millions more through the news outlets.

Chants of "reformasi!" were also heard again. It was a historical day for our country.

The irony of the events that took place on March 4, 2016 is not lost on all of us. Bitter rivals stood side by side, smiling broadly and holding their hands up in triumph, uniting under one common cause: driving Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his cronies to resign from their positions of power.

But guess what? It is no longer enough to run campaigns based on sentiments. We have had enough of it from politicians from either side of the divide. Malaysia deserves better than a patched-up movement with no vision for themselves.

Who would have imagined Dr Mahathir and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would ever be on the same page again? The likes of Lim Kit Siang, Tian Chua and Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, were all victims of Ops Lalang and ISA, and have always been vocal in speaking against Dr Mahathir’s iron fist rule.

But there they were at the announcement of the Citizens' Declaration.

Ironically, aspirations for the rakyat are conveniently forgotten in pursuit of power. It seems like there is no loyalty in politics. Not even for the rakyat.

These individuals have absolutely nothing in common besides believing in the need to remove Najib via non-violent and legally permissible means from his position of power in order for Malaysia to heal again.

How will this campaign achieve its goal? The general election is at least a year away. Even then, there is no guarantee of success. Especially when the opposition coalition themselves is running around like a headless chicken.

The absence of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Lim Guan Eng and the presence of Azmin paints a bleak future for Pakatan Harapan, merely five months since its birth.

Looking at the alternative measure, BN still has the advantage should they ever attempt for a no-confidence vote at the Dewan Rakyat.

Even if this campaign succeeds, what comes next? Who will replace Najib? Will it be Dr Mahathir, Lim Kit Siang or even Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin?

In any case, none of the names above represent real change in the system. Nor will they ever regain the trust they've lost.

Malaysia deserves better. Malaysia deserves more than a bunch of has-beens (with token youth icons) stamping their feet to demand for the betterment of Malaysia.

What comes next? They do not have the answer. Not even on a candidate to put forward for their succession plan.

Change for the sake of change is no better than our status quo. There has to be a real, thought-out plan for it to succeed. Without it, we would only be running around in circles facing the same problems we face right now. The only thing different would be the rotating politicians.

Alas, an enemy's enemy is a friend. The rakyat are once against used as a pawn for political play.

When a movement is driven by an obsession rather than a real passion for a better Malaysia, the strength of that movement is bound to break as soon as it takes off.

Malaysia deserves a real leader, a real change. Save Malaysia from hypocrites! – March 6, 2016.

* Shakira Iskandar reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.