“I WANT to retire, but I can’t because the rakyat want me back” – very often we, the “dumb” rakyat, hears this from our politicians.

They have been around for decades and squeezed the country and rakyat dry, and yet they do not want to let go.

Why are these has-beens still clinging to power and refusing to make way for capable, credible and younger leaders?

I was shocked when I read a statement by a particular old-timer politician recently that the “rakyat still need him”.

Seriously? Do the rakyat really need you or you still need to squeeze the rakyat of their last drop of blood?

We, as voters, need to be very wary of these venomous snakes in the upcoming polls. Some of the smaller parties which recently mushroomed from nowhere because nobody else wanted certain “leaders” are now trying to wriggle their way into becoming part of other more established political parties.

These unscrupulous old-timers know that the next general election is a free-for-all and they will do anything, sell their souls, if possible, to get back in.

A good lesson would be the last general election when the Opposition coalition decided to “pakat” with certain some-ones and look where they ended up.

It is sad how easily close allies can turn their backs on each other and without hesitation share their beds with those they once despised.

What drives them? Money, greed, power, most likely. 

The political manoeuvrings by these “political snakes” make you want to vomit blood. They have no principles, no ethics, nothing.

Their main agenda is to plunder, plunder and plunder until they are on their death beds. What they fail to realise is that the same little worm that is going to eat the flesh of the pauper is the one that is also going to feed off their decaying bodies.

Voters like us need to be super careful of these wolves in sheep clothing and choose wisely come the next polls.

It is time we completely reject these “political snakes” and not fall for their rubbish “the rakyat still want me” phrase. – July 15, 2021.

* Mohd Ariffin Mohd Izam reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.