With Pakatan Harapan increasingly resembling the doomed Titanic, isn't all the constant bickering among its crew only causing the ship to sink even faster?
One week after claiming that the Melaka constitution barred him from resigning as a state exco member—purportedly because the Governor did not assent to it—Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh appears to have changed his tune.
But then, is anyone in this country surprised anymore whenever politicians make a sudden U-turn?
For the record, at a Kapar Umno Youth meeting recently, Akmal had reportedly said that he was prepared to accept the challenge from former DAP leader Teng Chang Khim to submit his resignation—again.
However, typically, he added a caveat: it would be on the condition that his nemesis from DAP, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, must first tender his resignation!
But hang on, don't Akmal's statements clearly contradict each other? The thing is, if his earlier resignation was declined because the state constitution doesn't allow it, wouldn't a resubmission suffer the same fate?
Moreover, what some would be asking is this: if any real “man” wants to resign on a matter of principle, why would he want his enemy to resign with him—and why offer all these bizarre justifications?
Won’t any true-blue anak jantan boldly go it alone and not wait for company?
Unsurprisingly, a reputable news portal had earlier debunked his alleged claim that the Melaka constitution barred him from resigning as a state exco member.
In fact, based on a Bernama report last April, Melaka Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh—in rejecting Akmal’s resignation—had clearly pointed out that the prerogative to decide on such matters actually lies with him.
Now, surely this would have made many scratch their heads and wonder: where did the tale of the governor and the constitution come from then?
To put it in perspective, Nga was earlier quoted as saying that he would resign as a cabinet minister if BN won big in the Johor state elections and Najib were freed.
But isn't Bossku still in Kajang?
In truth, hasn't this habit of throwing the gauntlet to political opponents to quit their posts gone a bit too far?
Furthermore, should a federal minister be asked to step down just because a state exco wants to prove a point? Now, if that isn't the height of immature politics, what is?
The fact is, Akmal and Nga are both in the Unity Government, so why attack someone who is on the same ship?
Of course, such matters could have been averted if only PMX had made it very clear to UMNO from the very beginning that friendly fire between unity government members is strictly banned. But it appears that he has failed to put his foot down.
Perhaps, in hindsight, Anwar’s “policy” not to offend UMNO was his biggest blunder?
Coming back to the Akmal-Nga standoff, the lesson to be learned here is quite straightforward: politicians who are paid and entrusted with the duty to serve the rakyat should henceforth stop using resignation as a “weapon”—unless they are truly prepared to bite the bullet!
Ultimately, if any of them wants to resign, be it anak jantan or not, they should just leave everything behind and take the plunge. Instead, by shamelessly calling for their enemy to jump first—wouldn't that, to many, seem like plain cowardice?
Main information source: Malaysiakini, NST and FMT.
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