By Niza Shimi
They were the celestial beings, the architects of the supposed Sheraton Move. One was from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and one is the president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). Add to that is the claim by Parti Islam SeMalaysia’s (PAS) that it inspired the political coup.
Both the resignation of the seventh prime minister (PM7) Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and the formation of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition managed to topple the Pakatan Harapan government that won the 14th general elections in May 2018 after 22 months in power.
The PN government took over in March 2020 with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as PM8 and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali as senior minister for 17 months. Muhyiddin would later be forced to step down in August 2021 as he lost support. Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri Yaccob was then appointed PM9.
The brief stint of Muhyiddin as PM8 will be most remembered for his handling of the COVID-19 health emergency that affected the globe including Malaysia. Aside from everything else, a new meme called Puak Kayangan (heavenly beings) was coined.
It is not sure when the meme was coined but it caught on as the public became increasingly frustrated with the double standards imposed on government ministers and the ordinary citizen on the standard operating procedures (SOP) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.
There seemed to be a standard for the marhaen (ordinary citizens) and another for the Puak Kayangan. Maximum penalties were imposed on the marhaen while the Puak Kayangan got hardly a flick on the wrist.
For example, in August 2020 an elderly woman (aged 72 years) was fined RM8,000 and jailed a day for flouting a home surveillance order. This heavy handed penalty ignited anger among the citizens. (New Straights Times)
Soon, social media was awash with examples of double standards in the implementation of SOPs between marhaen and Puak Kayangan.
In April 2021, a popular social media influencer who is also a doctor serving on the frontlines, Dr Rafidah Abdullah, turned to twitter to share her frustrations on the double standards of practice, as reported by MStar.
Dr Rafidah tweeted; “Sedih, pilu melihat perangai golongan kayangan yang sepatutnya menjadi contoh. Susah ke nak ikut peraturan? Susah ke nak merendah diri? Perlu ke menunjuk-nunjuk? Merasalah jadi manusia biasa.”
(Loosely translated; Sad, very sad to see the behaviour of heavenly group who should set an example. Is it hard to follow procedures? Is it hard to have humility? Is it necessary to show off? Feel what it’s like to be mere mortal.)
More outpourings on the Puak Kayangan flouting SOPs came from the marhaen as the movement control orders (MCO) imposed by the government began to take its toll. The examples are too numerous to include.
But the practice of double standards caused even rumblings from within the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a coalition member of the PN government.
In February 2021, Malay Mail reported UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi questioning the PN government after finding out a minister had allegedly held a gathering with 500 residents in Hulu Langat.
Zahid said, “[On Sunday] a minister reportedly met 500 residents in Hulu Langat. In my estimation, 500 people gatherings are very large,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
The alleged minister was Azmin Ali. Even Singapore-based CNA reported on alleged breaches of SOP by Azmin when the marhaen were restricted by the MCO from visiting their beloved family members. It was like rubbing salt in the marhaen's wounds.
Despite Muhyiddin posing as the benevolent father figure with the moniker “Abah”, it was not enough. The heavenly beings were forced to come down to earth. The marhaen rejoiced.
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