“Who is the ‘dumb’ and deaf one here who needs to be schooled…?!” yelled Wan Ahmad Fayhsal as he reminded PM Anwar of the IMF and events in 1998; he further claimed that if not for Dr Mahathir Malaysia would have long been a barua (slave) to Washington!
There were some tense moments in the Malaysian Parliament last week after “hotshot” opposition lawmaker Wan Ahmad Fayhsal directed his fury at PM Anwar Ibrahim for the controversial trade agreement with the United States which was signed during president Donald Trump’s recent visit here.
In a move that must have shocked many inside the Dewan Rakyat, the maverick MP had earlier raised his voice and called on the government to revoke the agreement, likening it to “syaitan and iblis” - clearly a reference to the devil!
In fact, the Machang MP had branded the government stupid for agreeing to ratify the (lopsided) agreement which allegedly contained many conditions detrimental to religion, race and country! He had also called PMX and his ministers “Kabinet Kayu” which may be interpreted as a weak and spineless Cabinet.
But for all the hype, would Wan Fayhsal have “dared” to play hardball with Trump and his ruthless negotiators?
He further drew comparison with Cambodia which according to him, managed to negotiate for better trade terms with the US in safeguarding the sovereignty and interests of its people.
The recently suspended Bersatu Supreme Council member had also expressed his displeasure at the absence of the country's minister of investment, trade and industry before lashing out at PM Anwar for not giving a clear explanation, and instead resorting to spinning; he then added that the opposition was prepared to vet through the agreement with the government for the purpose of check and balance.
Meanwhile, unlike the brash young opposition lawmaker, two time ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was more measured in his criticism of the trade agreement with the US; according to him, the country had literary surrendered its economic freedom to the superpower!
He also recalled how during his tenure as prime minister, the government had refused to be dictated by foreign powers, whereas the recent trade deal with the US was neither a partnership nor reciprocal as it appeared to allow the latter to impose its will on this country.
The mentally sharp 100-year-old ex-UMNO president further lamented that by signing the agreement Malaysia had effectively succumbed to the very power that supports and commits genocide in Gaza.
But would a “recalcitrant” stance, as opposed to soft diplomacy, survive today's unpredictable economic and geopolitical headwinds?
Incidentally, Wan Fayhsal’s latest outburst in Parliament may have raised several interesting questions:
Was the young lawmaker who may have been under some stress after being recently suspended by his own party, venting his pent-up frustration on Anwar and the Madani government by picking on the controversial trade agreement with the US?
Moreover, knowing that the terms of the agreement were not “binding”, why did he insist on it to be cancelled when he knew well that such a rash action will cause irreparable reputational damage to the nation – and worse still, invite disastrous economic sanctions from the superpower.
Additionally, critics could even be forgiven for asking if his somewhat outrageous reference to syaitan and iblis may have something to do with his “anticipated” move to PAS – after being cold-storaged by Bersatu?
Was Wan Fayhsal's fiery ceramah in parliament, where he had invoked the devil, actually designed to bowl over the supporters of the Islamist party who may not fully comprehend his high-flown economic jargons?
Admittedly, while it is the duty of an elected MP to raise concerns that affect the well-being of the rakyat, did Wan Fayhsal's emotional meltdown cross the red line? Moreover, while it was only proper for him to highlight weaknesses in the reciprocal trade deal, did he yet again breach parliamentary decorum which requires MPs to present their arguments coherently and respectfully?
In conclusion, the Bersatu lawmaker's latest “drama” in the august house could potentially end up with him being slapped with another long suspension; however, the bigger question here would be: judging by their not-so-impressive track record in governing the four PAS-ruled states, and also the manner in which they had ruled the country during the COVID-MCO era, could Wan Fayhsal and his PN colleagues really have succeeded in negotiating with Trump for a better deal? Or would the latter have “penalised” them with higher tariffs - which would have left the nation's economy in tatters?
Notes to Ponder: If the opposition MP had done his homework, wouldn't he have acknowledged that Malaysia did manage to secure tariff exemptions from the US on key exports, including palm oil, rubber and cocoa, aerospace equipment and pharmaceuticals - while crucially retaining the exemption on semiconductor goods? Meanwhile, on the topic of IMF, shouldn't he know too well that the country had actually begun operating on a deficit budget since Dr Mahathir's time, circa 1998?
Main information source: Facebook Wan Ahmad Fayhsal, Malaysiakini and Facebook WAF (Mahathir Mohamad).
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