Syed Saddiq: Clinging to the deficiencies in a democratic system
Saddiq has gone where Mahathir has gone and this is proven by his exit from PH to join Mahathir in the opposition after his party said he will still support the Unity Government on its reform agenda. Reforms that Mahathir would not want to see happening
Mr Syed Saddiq, a political associate of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is vigorously challenging the boundaries of democratic norms, raising concerns about potential misuse of democracy, all while maintaining that he represents the interests of the voters in the constituency where he was elected with the Pakatan Harapan's support.
It is clear thst without the support from the PH, he might have bitten the dust in Muar and get booted out of Parliament. But more interesting is that the man fighting for reforms and justice is clinging on the deficiencies of the democratic system for his immediate political survival.
Here we want to emphasize on Syed Saddiq's reliance on perceived shortcomings or weaknesses within a democratic system.
But as some would say ungratefulness in politics has no bounds. These politicians are promoting the culture of piracy. They are here to make the public swallow what is wromg while they behave that it is right. Is Mr Saddiq of the same breed? We will not know until he tells us.
What are the grudges that Saddiq have against the PH? He did not get a ministerial seat, to start with while his vote is needed to help bring reform to some institutions in the country. He was holding the two thirds majority and bargained it willfully.
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Fight for reforms?
He claims these reforms are now dumped by the PH after Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's Discharge Not Amounting to Acquittal. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has the most lucide answer to Saddiq. How can someone quit the government bench in Parliament over a court decision?
It this because some are cowards, others are fighting for their own interests and only a few are fighting for just causes? He wants people to believe he is fighting for reforms by dumping the only party that can bring such reforms? He knows PH needs a bit more time. He does not care.
If they do not bring more reforms during their 5-year tenure under Anwar Ibrahim, the voters will throw them out. That is a certainty. The ex-Minister of Sports should have been wiser instead of showing such tantrum that will definitely harm his political future.
Saddiq claims he is fighting for democracy, to uphold democratic rights. You do not fight for democracy by abusing its process. He knows he has to quit as MP and go for a re-election to prove himself. But he won't. He will rather cling to the seat for dear political life.
The boy is also fighting for his freedom in his own court case. His outbursts against Zahid's DNAA is childlish. He did not show the same quantum of disgust for the DNAA of other political figures in the past and present altogether, except for Zahid, someone who Dr Mahathir wanted to castrate from politics since 2018.
A true democrat?
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Saddiq also claims that he represents the true democracy and is fighting for his voters. Did he ever ask the voters down there whether they agree with him if he leaves the government bench? They do not dare to do that.
As you can see, from the start of this article, the story is about mistrust and an abuse of the democratic system. Nevertheless, that does not stop some MPs from behaving like cowards. That begs the question whether Syed is ready to quit as an MP to face the full brunt of the voter's anger against him or who knows, he may shower in the deep love they have for him?
These days, the betrayers of the PH are also winning seats in the most unexpected places. It is the green wave they say. Surpisingly, no one from the green wave machinery advised Syed to quit to test the green wave in Muar? The PAS did very well in the last GE in Muar. (See table below).
Syed's party have also brazenly stated that there are no evidence that he won the Muar seat with the support of the PH or the Democratic Action Party. This statement ie equivalent to saying Muda won the seat on its own. That is clearly not possible and the remarks by the Muda politicians on that matter is pure manipulation of public opinion.
Why is that so? Muda did not garner more than 60,000 votes in the entire Johor state elections. It did not get more than 30,000 in the Selangor state elections altogether. Syed Saddiq won the seat in a close fight between him, the Umno candidate and the PAS candidate. (See the table below). PH gave way to Saddiq. Had the PH contested the seat, Saddiq would have been defeated, most likely.
Loyalty to Mahathir
But Saddiq, while showing such aggression against the PH that helped him win in more than one occasion, is a loyal fan of Mahathir. That is one trait we cannot deny he has. That is loyalty. It also goes to say that he was never loyal to the PH. This disloyalty was expected because it is unconceivable to believe that Saddiq will be loyal to PH leaders - despite showing he is close to some DAP ladies - when he actually owes everything else to Mahathir.
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Nevertheless, it is not entirely the fault of Saddiq that PH is today betrayed by another MP. PH never learns their lessons in politics. They need a lense to zoom on to such political figures to tell them that these people are useless. They should have known that Saddiq at some point, would abandon them.
On the other hand, PH have to stop dishing out juicy seats to those who jump ship or show face in new coalitions. The idea of allowing others in your coalition is to test them in rough terrains. If you are going to give winnable seats to newcomers in your alliance, then the misery of the voters in these seats will never end.