Step aside for the young, Kua Kia Soong tells political veterans

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 31 Dec 2017 5:57PM · 3 Comments

Political activist Kua Kia Soong has dismissed former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's apology and has called on him, and other veteran leaders, to step aside to make way for younger politicians. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 31, 2017.

POLITICAL activist Kua Kia Soong brushed off Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s qualified apology today and urged the former prime minister to make way for young politicians.

The adviser to human rights group Suaram said PH’s decision to choose former prime minister Dr Mahathir as their interim prime minister reveals the coalition’s lack of imagination in the lead up to the 14th general election.

“Is this what PH means by “the audacity of hope” for the nation?

“I have written enough about PH’s political backsliding and Mahathir’s political baggage of yesteryear, which a hollow apology cannot obliterate,” said the outspoken former Operasi Lalang detainee in a statement today.

At Bersatu’s annual general meeting yesterday, Dr Mahathir said PH would restore freedom of speech and apologised for past misdeeds.

The 92-year-old Bersatu chairman however did not specify what he was apologising for and when pressed later, said it was “customary” for Malays to apologise if others were offended.

Kua said political veterans like Dr Mahathir and DAP’s Lim Kit Siang should not overstay their welcome, while wishing Lim a speedy recovery from a surgery to remove a cancerous tumour.

He said his new year’s wish for 2018 is to see more young politicians taking the lead to chart the country’s future.

A former DAP politician and one-term Petaling Jaya MP (1990-1995), Kua said the longer a politician stays in office, the higher the risk he or she would engage in corruption.

“This democratic principle of disallowing any one person from holding a position of control or power for an indefinite period of time is for the common good and should be an urgent democratic reform for Malaysia,” said Kua.

He said no individual should hold the post of prime minister, chief minister or menteri besar for more than two terms, and the post of an MP or state assemblyman for more than four terms.

“Corporate interests cannot become as entrenched when term limits are in place,” he said.

He added that civil servants and police personnel are transferred every so often to prevent the acquisition of power and inducements to corruption in a particular post.

Kua had previously insisted that Dr Mahathir apologise for Operasi Lalang while other former detainees such as Dr Chandra Muzaffar said an apology serves no purpose.

Kua was one of the 106 people, including opposition politicians, activists, students and academics, detained without trial under the Internal Security Act in 1987.

He was detained for 445 days while Dr Chandra was detained for 52 days. Other former detainees said in a forum in October that they are still coping with the mental and psychological trauma three decades on. – December 31, 2017.

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Comments

  • Kua , you have an axe to grind with TDM. So your comments are not unbiased. Since you are imaginative you should provide some names that can take on Najib and be PM. Go straight to the point as Suaram leader. Also you should be a candidate in GE14 under whatever banner.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ong kok dee · Reply

  • Kua Kia Song---- you are a very grudgeful, annoying and now you convolutely present a situation that is no benefits to the rakyat. I have been following all your comments in regards to the ISA and Ops Lalang and it dawns upon us that you will never be a person of substance. On what standing and credentials base on humility and humanity that you qualify to be an adviser to Suaram where we do not even see a display of an iota traits of magnanimity from you. We understand the sufferings of the detainees during that period and we not only feel for you but also to the rest of others who fought also for the freedom of rights and justice. It is not that we are not appreciative but after all it has been decades since Ops Lalang and bear in mind you are not the only one who was hauled up. Many who have been been in the slammer longer and had faced far worse treatment than you has comes to term that their personal gratification to seek justice from Madhatir are off no priority and no larger than the country impending needs for a concerted front to dispose off the Kleptocrat Governement. This is their undisputed holy understanding and why is it so difficult for you to comprehend??? instead of harping on old tales which only forcefully brings us around to see nothing good will comes out from you. Your actions portray a low tier level opportunist waiting to pounce on the old fox in any related subject that is pertaining to your detention in Ops Lalang. I can explicitly conclude that your eluded happiness is to see the old fox being beaten up and throw into jail facing torments of ten fold worst than what you have undergone. Than i have to say -- Sorry mate!!! you are not in the league for bigger things to be done . You better lay low and keep on sulking which I think you do best. Your comments and suggestions are laced with bitterness and prejudice without any concrete idiot proof plan. Asking the old politicians where their years of experiences and exposure are clearly define by their wrinkles on their forehead which denotes their valuable war maps and strategies. Suggesting them to make way for young politicians are real fool hardy and only leaving them ( young politicians ) in lurch. Most of the young politicians are still wet behind the ears and still in the process of suckling. They have far more to learn from the veterans whose time are now very short!!!. So please speak with decency and at least some kind of intelligence rather than expounding empty ballyhoo only to promote your existence." Fast gun and no bullets will only allow yourself to be killed"

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • The issue is NOT just the old not stepping aside. The issue is why the young cannot build their personal political capital to take over? Why Anwar still.lead PKR? Why LGE has no clear successor in Penang? Hadi Awang is destroying his party and hell bent on dragging us all into.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply