Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

SHORT-TERM Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced recently the dissolution of parliament soon after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah gave his consent, and who then took a flight to the United Kingdom to meet up with the newly installed King Charles III.

This paves the way for the general election, which has been yearned by Umno, particularly its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, despite protests from such mere mortals as ordinary Malaysians in flood-prone areas, the opposition, and civil society organisations, which oppose holding a general election during monsoon season.

It is feared that an election at this time of the year would cause hardship for people to go out to vote, while some government facilities that are meant for flood relief purposes may have to be diverted towards maintaining the polls.

This is apart from the continuing problems of high cost of living, unemployment and underemployment, and an economic downturn that the ordinary people are facing.

Such is the push for an immediate general election, notwithstanding various memes posted on social media, mocking the insistence by Umno to hold a snap poll.

As it is, there are a few rivers reported to have reached dangerous levels, while certain places in the peninsula, as well as Sabah and Sarawak are already under water.

For instance, Selangor Umno chairman Noh Omar’s district is reported to have been flooded.

There was even a posting that cheekily states that the monsoon season has been postponed to make way for the election, chiding those who defy Mother Nature and also who put their political interests over those of the general public.

A video clip shows a TV news reporter saying that Umno has added a new election strategy to address challenges, particularly flooding, so that certain party members would be made to undergo swimming training. In short, Umno members need to keep themselves afloat.

To be sure, the election was still being pushed despite 12 Perikatan Nasional ministers having written to the Agong to register their opposition, which has serious implications on the rakyat and the nation as a whole.

As expected, Umno ignored these reservations, especially those from Bersatu, which has become the sworn enemy of Umno.

In the early days of its campaign, Umno’s narrative was that it wanted to bring the mandate back to the electorate after it was stolen from them via the Sheraton Move, in which Umno incidentally played a crucial role.

Then, the narrative was modified to include the observation that there is a lack of solidarity within the federal cabinet with Ismail being undermined by ministers.

Be that as it may, the latest posting on social media, which has made its rounds, says what many Malaysians have been suspecting all along.

The video clip shows BN chief Zahid warning – rather unabashedly – before delegates of the MIC general assembly recently that the coalition must work towards a big victory, because an electoral loss would mean certain leaders in BN, including himself, would be dragged to court.

In other words, this “mother of all general elections”, as Zahid put it, is aimed at getting power back so that the so-called court cluster would be saved from legal prosecution – even if it means Umno-BN having to wade through the floods, while the ordinary people will have to bear the brunt of the coalition’s action.  

With the dissolution of the parliament, the people have come to the point of having to reclaim their beloved Malaysia so that the tainted hands of some of the politicians will not be able to destroy the nation any further.

The candidates to be voted upon must work in the interests of our diverse peoples. Put another way, they must not be corrupt, bigoted, extremist and exclusivist.

Rain or shine, self-serving politicians have no place in a society where the people generally value progress, peace and democracy. – October 11, 2022.