(FMT Reporters -September 29, 2019 1:54 PM)

PETALING JAYA: Former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali has issued a scathing assessment of the Pakatan Harapan administration, saying it has failed to improve the lives of Malaysians as promised during the last general election.

But the veteran leader reserved his strongest comments for Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying the PPBM chairman has been “reigning over others” with his party having only 13 seats in the four-party federal coalition.

He accused the prime minister of “lying” when he told his audience at a forum organised by the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York recently that he had been working 18 hours a day.

“What 18-hour work is this when the country is being destroyed? Does a 94-year-old human being not eat, sleep, bathe, pray or rest? Is this seventh prime minister not human?” asked Syed Husin, who was PKR’s first deputy president following the merger between his now-defunct Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Parti Keadilan Nasional.

He said Mahathir was insulting the people’s intelligence, adding that the leader was the “culprit” behind the current problems.

“It is because of him the Malays and the Malay parties are split. It is because of him the judiciary and government institutions are destroyed and entangled in abuse and corruption.

“It is because of him that graft and money politics are widespread until the point the country was almost sold by Najib’s (Razak) kleptocratic government,” he said in a statement.

Syed Husin said the leaders who were fighting day and night to protect the people and save the nation have since gone quiet, with voices that once urged the people to rise against the government now singing praises and pandering to the prime minister.

He also said the Pakatan Harapan presidential council can request for Mahathir to step down as prime minister, as it is the highest decision-making body to determine when he should resign.

Mahathir, he said, has no power to decide when he should hand over the reins.

“The calls by a few quarters who want Mahathir to stay until the 15th general election prove that they are aware that the presidential council can strip Mahathir of his post at any time,” he said.

Syed Husin said the people were also asking if the likes of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang have had their wings clipped.

He wondered if these leaders were not aware that Mahathir’s political manoeuvres would destroy the agreement made by the PH component parties before the May 9 polls.

Mahathir’s cries of wanting to save Malaysia when campaigning in the 14th general election were “clearly a lie”, he said.

Syed Husin said Mahathir was now focusing on holding on to power, believing that he was the only one who could save the nation.

“His statement in New York about wanting to retire before the 15th general election is a betrayal and insult to PH.”

Yesterday, Syed Husin expressed doubt over a promise by Mahathir on handing over power for Anwar.

Source: FMT