Yoursay: Hard pressed to set up a clean gov’t with Umno kleptocrats

YOURSAY | ‘A true statesman is a rare breed. I find more honour among thieves. But I stand corrected.’

I did not want to be prime minister - Muhyiddin

Kim Quek: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, you said you are not a traitor. But how can that be when you went behind the back of your coalition Pakatan Harapan and sneakily formed an alliance with Harapan’s enemies Umno and PAS to snatch power from Harapan?

That is treason of the highest order not only to Harapan but also to the electorate whose chosen multiracial reformist coalition is now replaced by an antithetical mono-race racist coalition of notorious kleptocrats and religious bigots.

By committing such treason, you have also turned Malaysia into the laughing stock of the democratic world – what kind of rotten democratic system would allow a party defeated in the election to rob from the victorious party its right to rule through sheer political machination?

Muhyiddin, shouldn’t you apologise to the people for forcing such an awful option of government down their throats?

Anonymous_b3cdcd05: Muhyiddin's claim that he joined forces with the opposition forces (Perikatan Nasional) to save Malaysia because both PM candidates (Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim) did not get majority support is a lie, untenable and cannot be sustained.

How would he save Malaysia by joining forces with the same kleptocrats that bankrupted the country and were defeated at the polls? As if there were no other options.

According to Mahathir, Muhyiddin had been working to pull out Bersatu and join forces with the kleptocrats for a long time allegedly due to his dissatisfaction with DAP's presence in Harapan.

In fact, Mahathir claims he resigned because he did not agree with Muhyiddin's move to work with Umno en-bloc. Anyway, even if Mahathir reneged on his promises to pass the baton to Anwar, wasn't Muhyiddin himself a party to the Harapan agenda and pre-election agreement?

Shouldn’t he honour his commitment and the agreement? Shouldn’t he at least stay loyal to the electorate that gave Harapan the mandate in GE14? As such, how does he deny being a traitor?

What could be worse than colluding with the same set of thieves and crooks that he had campaigned against and won the people's mandate? From where did he get the mandate for the position he holds today?

If that is not a betrayal, what is?

Matabuta: I view Muhyiddin as a sincere politician which Mahathir tried to use to consolidate power and to kick out Anwar.

Muhyiddin most likely did not drive the resignation of Mahathir, he merely followed Mahathir's orders, and his appointment could be driven by the Johor palace, which wanted to kick out Mahathir, and wanted someone only they trusted.

This could be a blessing in disguise for Malaysia. Muhyiddin is as clean as you can get for a politician in Malaysia. He is sincere in his desire to rid of corruption.

He understands the Muslims’ desire for an Islamic state, knowing that this is not possible. He sees the need to utilise the non-bumiputeras to bring prosperity to the nation. He knows what the royals want.

He knows that he cannot bring back the corrupt top levels of Umno. He knows that DAP is an essential part of a functional government. He knows the powers that the Borneo states have now. And he knows that civil societies can drive change.

So, what will happen? I think you would be surprised at the level and calibre of his cabinet ministers. It will provoke Umno top leaders, but will allow him to steer Malaysia effectively until the next election.

And we need to stop bashing Anwar. His only weakness is too much compassion and trust for his fellow supporters that in turn have betrayed him. Let’s not forget that without reformasi, we may not even be able to discuss and protest any issues.

At least, we have gotten rid of the most dangerous person - Mahathir - the greatest traitor to our nation.

Idiocracy: @Matabuta, I agree mostly with your comments save Muhyiddin is as clean as you can get for a politician in Malaysia. His time as Johor menteri besar (in the 80s and 90s) was quite scandalous.

Cyclonus: Yes, Muhyiddin, I saw the video of you being consoled by your relatives and friends after the announcement (by the king). You had to be held as you wept and body shook with grief.

Meanwhile, people came in droves to pay their respect (and homage) now that you are in office. The sacrifice you make to serve as prime minister is unenviable ... wielding so much power, bearing so much responsibility.

But I've seen this before... people so conceited by power that they forget the true purpose of that power. Especially, when it was ill-attained.

A true statesman is a rare breed. I find more honour among thieves. But I stand corrected.

The Wakandan: But you did see the prospect of becoming PM was quite attractive to you, wasn’t it?

I hate hypocrites. If you didn’t want, there were many who wanted to. With your 36 MPs, your support could make anyone a PM. Instead, you used it to make yourself PM. And you take us for fools to believe you.

Only Truth: We are elderly Malays, not so competent with computers and initiating petitions.

After hearing what was said in Muhyiddin’s speech that there was no interest in the job, would someone draft a letter petition requesting for a change?

Anonymous 2413471460628504: To save the country from a continued crisis? This is a crisis Muhyiddin helped create.

If our countrymen were not so racist, if our politicians had genuinely worked for the country and not to line their pockets and satisfy their ego, this country would have been as great, if not better than Singapore and South Korea.

Instead, because everyone was watching out for me, myself and I, using all means at their disposal to achieve their selfish ends, this country is being plunged into a ravine.

The saddest thing is so many are sitting by the side cheering this slide downwards, declaring it the mandate of God and their right to have it so.

Yoursay: Muhyiddin’s buying of time does not give confidence

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