KUCHING: Interim Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s idea of a unity government merits consideration, opined political analyst Datuk Peter Minos.
He said that Dr Mahathir had once again sprung a surprise as the idea was revolutionary in Malaysia.
“I must say that Tun M has a point – a big point. It is definitely high time for Malaysians to pause, stop, and think,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He agreed that there had been too much politicking in the last few years, echoing what Dr Mahathir had touched on during his first address to the nation since the political turmoil began on Sunday (February 23).
Minos felt that there had been too many power-seekers excessively using partisan party politics, and too many things had been decided on political party lines.
“Many give no regard to national interests and national needs in their zeal for political power and positions. If pursued too long and too far, Malaysia will be the loser and will suffer,” he said.
He stressed that politicians of all stripes had to think of the nation and national interests before narrow party political goals, adding that this was what Mahathir had in mind and proposed.
“Must we go on and on differing and debating and disuniting ourselves by partisan party politics at the expense of national interests and our nation? Why not, for once, think of the nation first and set aside our politicking and political differences for a while?” he questioned.
Minos said that national interests had to be put before party interests. Here, he said, Mahathir was speaking sense and logic, with proper and right thinking for Malaysians now and in the future.
“So, like him or loathe him, Dr Mahathir must be given credit for his new idea and a new political approach,” he said.
He pointed out that the past indicated that Malaysians had to slow down on politicking, or if possible, to stop it and start thinking of Malaysia.
“Maybe it is time for reconciliation – national reconciliation, that is. Then form a national unity government, devoid as far as possible of politicking based on party affiliations,” he said.
