MALAYSIANS should not make a mistake by allowing Dr Mahathir Mohamad to lead a National Operations Council (NOC) as an interim measure to administer the country, Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy said today.

According to Ramasamy, such a move would lead to the end of democracy and the rise of dictatorship.

The DAP leader, who also disagreed with a need for an NOC, added that the former prime minister was wrong in suggesting this idea to Yang di-Pertuan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

“Dr Mahathir wants to head the NOC, he proposed his own name to the monarch without any shame or feeling of remorse as to his earlier role.

“Although he might not have given up the idea of being a prime minister, at the same time he has no qualms of becoming dictator.

“The head of the NOC is essentially one of dictatorship with concentration of administrative and security powers.

“Just imagine a person like Dr Mahathir with these kinds of powers,” said Ramasamy.

He said that Dr Mahathir failed to realise that he has become a spent force in Malaysian politics.

Ramasamy said that Malaysia has seen all the attributes of a dictator under Dr Mahathir’s two previous tenures as prime minister.

“He will discard all semblances of democracy to fit in a new role that would be most suitable for him, to cause damage that Malaysia will not recover from for a long time.

“There is a limit to political greed. He lives in a make-believe world of grand illusions.”

He added that what was needed first for Malaysia was to enable democracy or return to Parliament, both of which have been pushed aside by the government’s emergency declaration to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.

“How is another omission of democracy in the form of an NOC going to resolve the problem of pandemic?”

The proposal to set up the NOC came from the Langkawi MP during his audience with the king yesterday.

After their meeting, Dr Mahathir held a virtual press conference where he said he had proposed the setting up of a NOC to help manage issues faced by the nation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The chairman of yet-to-be registered Pejuang said the establishment of an NOC would allow for the same type of administration put in place after the 1969 race riots, which he said had then seen several policies put in place to stabilise and develop the nation.

“The king didn’t say ‘no’, but he said the proposal to set up the NOC must come from the government. But I’m doubtful the government will propose this,” he said.

Earlier today Pakatan Harapan rejected the idea of setting up an NOC to govern the country, adding that the pact wants an end to the state of emergency and for Parliament to reconvene. – June 11, 2021.