I WOULD have expected Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to promote the his “Keluarga Malaysia” concept by allowing the people of Sarawak to vote according to their conscience.

He shouldn’t show his shallowness by asking them to vote for political parties with a good working relationship with the federal government.

This is not democracy and not what a big family should do. The head of the family should knit together and not divide its members.

But this is not be so. Ismail has made the people of Sarawak the familiar threat that the federal government might not continue with planned projects in Sarawak if the wrong political parties are election to run the state in the December 18 elections. 

Ismail, after assuming the office of prime minister, at first showed some magnanimity in urging all Malaysians to work together as one family.

He even promoted the concept at the international level.

The concept was a feeble attempt to cobble together an effective administration, and its appeal fizzled out as soon as it started.

Ismail’s few months in office have been marred by his allowing criminals in the corridors of power to walk free, presenting a budget that was racist in nature, shamelessly surviving on the basis of a memorandum of understanding with the opposition, and not least, wasting public resources by appointing a host special envoys and special advisers.

Some may describe him as meek leader, a stop-gap measure, or even a caretaker prime minister.

Even before constitutional amendments can be passed to restore the lost rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the MA1963, Ismail has thrown a spanner in the works.

If Ismail is threatening the voters of Sarawak to vote for parties that are friendly with the federal government, than this an outright threat or blackmail.

It is difficult to accept the fact that Ismail who popularised the family concept would stoop so low as to threaten and blackmail family members, the Sarawak people.

I am not sure how sincere the federal government is about pushing through the amendments to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak, if the prime minister is saying that if the result results are not favourable to the federal government, projects would be derailed in Sarawak.

Is this the payment to the people in Sarawak for having been in the federation for nearly 60 years?

Is this the way Ismail respects the rights and the democratic space of the people in Sarawak?

Can we also expect the constitutional amendments sought by Sarawak to be abruptly stopped if the   voters reject a government that is friendly with the federal government?

Ismail should not be a fair weather friend of the Sarawak people. – December 6, 2021.

* P. Ramasamy is Penang deputy chief minister II.

* 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.