KLANG: The resignation by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his Cabinet may be the lifeline the country desperately needs if subsequent developments pave a clear path to right all the things that have gone wrong, say several political watchers.

“Everything is in total chaos now but chaos can birth new things, which can be good for the country," said Malaysian Centre For Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) director Fahri Azzat.

He said the best option for now would be for all players in the political landscape to bury the hatchet to work together and agree to "fight" only after the country’s problems have been tackled collectively.

“They may not like each other but they must realise they are all in the same sinking boat and floating to a destination they are all uncertain of," Fahri said.

He added that everyone must be on the same page and work together to heal the nation.

Most importantly, said Fahri, the people chosen to lead must be those with new ideas and methods.

“Tokenism must be done away with when deciding who gets to do what, with only capable people being selected.

“Things must not be like how it was done in the past and to achieve this the old-timers must not be brought in again as their ideas are the same as the ones 20 to 30 years ago," Fahri said.

People’s Legal Team founder Dinesh Muthal, meanwhile, said that since no one has proven without a doubt that they had majority support to lead the nation, there was a high chance that another coalition like Perikatan Nasional may take shape.

“But if it is going to be another fragile coalition like Perikatan, history could repeat itself soon.

“Even Pakatan Harapan, when it was the government, was made up of a fragile coalition due to its troubles with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia," Dinesh said.

“We have never had such a situation in the country where many people are suffering. Malaysians had never gone hungry in the past but now they are, going by the number of white flags raised," Dinesh said.

He also was puzzled by the number of statutory declarations of support various leaders claim they had in their possession.

“I am wondering if the same people are going around signing multiple statutory declarations and if so, they must know that it is against the law," he added.

Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee member Nizam Bashir Abdul Kariem Bashir was also concerned over the use of statutory declarations to denote support.

“The prime minister candidate must not prove the support he is purportedly receiving through statutory declarations but on the floor of Parliament," he said, adding that the latter method was in line with the rule of law and the principles of democracy.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/17/muhyiddin039s-resignation-may-be-lifeline-for-malaysia-say-political-watchers