PETALING JAYA, Dec 28 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to spell out Malaysia Baharu’s direction in his speech at the launching of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) second annual general meeting tomorrow night.
Since Pakatan Harapan took over the government, the nation’s policies have been up in the air as each ministry goes about determining its own direction.
There is no denying that many who voted for Pakatan Harapan want to know the country’s direction as the new government has yet to fulfil promises contained in its manifesto.
Dr Mahathir and his Cabinet have spent the last seven-and-a-half months cleaning up the government and reviving the economy but voters want more — bread and butter issues such as cost of living have thinned their wallets.
At the same time, partners in the ruling coalition — PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara — are clawing at each other.
Dr Mahathir’s own party, Bersatu, has also been criticised by its Pakatan partners for allegedly trying to dominate the coalition by taking in former Umno leaders and members.
Parties in the coalition also want to know what Dr Mahathir’s plans are. Is he strengthening Bersatu to be the dominant party? Is he merely providing an avenue for Umno leaders and members who have lost their direction?
Or, is he trying to protect the Malays who are now without an ‘umbrella’?
Malays have been the dominant force in Malaysian politics and they determine the winner or loser of the political race in the country as they had proven in the last general election — with just about a 20 per cent shift in support from the Malays and Barisan Nasional (BN) is now history.
The Malays who voted for Pakatan were those who had trusted Dr Mahathir to continue protecting them and Dr Mahathir, who knows the mind of the Malays like the back of his hand, knows what needs to be done.
Parties in Pakatan Harapan would not have won the general election without the swing in Malay votes and it was Dr Mahathir that brought the ‘magic’.
Dr Mahathir is expected to address the concerns of the Malay community in his speech tomorrow.
He is expected to also explain the need for Bersatu to continue the struggle of the Malays and protect Islam as well as the Institution of Rulers.
Dr Mahathir is expected to tell it like it is on various issues affecting the current volatile relationship between the parties in the coalition and Pakatan leaders know he is the only leader who can hold the coalition together.
Dr Mahathir’s speech is expected to be the main debate by all delegates after tomorrow night as it is expected to be the blueprint of the new government policies to come.
