RIGHT after UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi shot himself in the foot by getting into the fray involving Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his 115 statutory declarations (SDs), I was hoping that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would not step into the quagmire to turn a molehill into a mountain.

But speaking to the media after having lunch at a stall in Kampung Sungai Penchala, Anwar went on to dismiss the claims by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman that the latter had the support to form the government post GE15 (15^th General Election).

According to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, Muhyiddin did not have enough support because some federal lawmakers “signed two or three” SDs.

“As far as I understand, based on the views of the rulers and attorney-general who was appointed by Muhyiddin at that time, the number was questionable so it was left to the discretion of the King,” contended Anwar as he accidentally vindicated Muhyiddin while indirectly condemning himself in the same manner that Zahid had done earlier.

What both Anwar and Zahid have failed to explain is why are the SDs by the 10 MPs counted in Anwar’s tally when they cannot be counted in Muhyiddin’s tally.

In the words of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin, there are two SDs that speak about the same subject in different terms. As such, it should be the latest SD that should be counted as the authoritative SD.

The SDs that were used to count the 10 BN MPs support for Anwar was signed before the 2022 national polls. However, the SDs that were used to count the said MPs support for Muhyiddin was signed after the election.

Therefore, it should be the SD that the MPs made in support of Muhyiddin that should have been counted as authoritative, not the other way around.

Twist of fate

In the aftermath of Nenggiri by-election, both Zahid and Anwar were doing splendidly while Muhyiddin’s political career seemed to have one foot in the coffin.

Following BN’s convincing win in the PN stronghold in Kelantan, it looks like the “Green Wave” momentum against Anwar’s rule is finally run out of steam.

After nearly two years of uneasy reign, Anwar finally looked like he was finally going to be able to rule with strength and be free to do all that he had in mind.

Muhyiddin on the other hand, was in such bad shape that even his own allies and crews seemed convinced that they wouldn’t be able catch any fish for so long as Muhyiddin was their captain.

At the state that he was in, it was probably only a matter of time before they decided that either they are going to need a new skipper or they will have to abandon the ship if Muhyiddin continues to insist on helming it.

In a surprising turn of event, a few inconsequential words that Muhyiddin had uttered at an obscure stage during a forgettable by-election campaign is taking on a life of its own while throwing Muhyiddin a lifeline.

If Anwar is hoping that regardless of the truth, Muhyiddin will still be in trouble for insulting and questioning the authority of the King with his statement, I have serious doubts as to whether Anwar’s hope will come true.

All Muhyiddin said in his speech was that at the end of GE15, he had 115 SDs from 115 MPs but instead of choosing him as the PM, the then Agong chose Anwar instead.

To any reasonable person, what Muhyiddin has said can be interpreted in two ways. Either he was (1) insulting and questioning the authority of the king or (2) he was ruing over his loss in the last general election.

Martyr figure beckoning?

Muhyiddin had been in politics for most of his life but the 2022 election was the first time he headed a general election campaign. Muhyiddin is also 77 years old which means that the 2022 election is likely the last time he will ever head a general election.

If any of us were in Muhyiddin shoes, and we lost in the biggest contest in our life and that too by a hairbreadth, we might be griping over the loss for a long time, too.

If there are two possibilities that can explain a situation, the principle of “presumption of innocence” will compel us to take the explanation that will exonerate the person who is accused of committing a crime.

If Muhyiddin is charged for sedition, he will be forced to raise all the matters that I have raised in this article in court, and if he does that, the legitimacy of Anwar’s rule itself will come into question.

Even if Muhyiddin is found guilty and punished, he will likely go down as a martyr figure who is being wrongly persecuted by an unjust government and rejuvenate the green wave while further weakening Anwar’s mandate to rule.

Anwar - let us not forget - came to power with the promise that he will be a PM for reform. As it is, his commitment for reforms is already being widely doubted even by his own ardent supporters.

If Muhyiddin is punished on such flimsy grounds for sedation, his own supporters will likely urge Anwar to stop any further pretension of being a reform-minded PM and just assume dictatorial powers in straightforward fashion.

Even now, it is not too late for Anwar to stop making things worse. All he has to do is stop doing something and start doing nothing. It requires no effort. All it requires is humility.

To not be able to do anything even when all you are doing is going against the truth is something only the proud will do. Pride, as they say, comes before the fall. The rest is up to Anwar. - Aug 25, 2024

Nehru Sathiamoorthy is a roving tutor who loves politics, philosophy and psychology. 

https://focusmalaysia.my/is-pmx-following-zahid-footstep-to-ruin-in-the-115-sds-fiasco-linked-to-muhyiddins-greed-for-power/