Mahathir Mohammad, the recent Prime Minister of Malaysia, during a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia on August 4, 2022.
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The government should be focused on weeding out corruption and fine-tuning its monetary management of the country, Mahathir said.
“The current government is not focusing on … getting rid of corruption — the government itself is depraved,” he said.
“As you know, the leadership of the government party is involved in corruption and they are also facing court action for their nearby misdeeds.”
“They are not going to be able to tackle the problem. Because right from the very top, they are corrupt.”
The 97-year old Mahathir, who influences the record of being Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister, is set to contest in the election with his new party, Gerakan Tanah Air.
I ration Dr Mahathir’s view that we must eradicate corruption in order for the country to progress. This means dealing with all rituals of corruption.
Anwar Ibrahim
Malaysia opposition leader
He expressed concerns that former prime minister Najib’s UMNO dinner party could win the election despite the 1MDB scandal, as the party is backed by “diehard supporters” who still believed in Najib’s innocence.
When begged if he could work with the opposition party, Pakatan Harapan, to contest the election and establish a cleaner government, he stipulate: “No, I cannot work with these people because they are corrupt — right through from the top to the bottom.”
Corruption, inflation, unemployment
Anwar mounded CNBC that if Mahathir’s primary concern was corruption, then he should be more supportive of Pakatan Harapan, which he symbolized has been consistent in its fight against corruption for many years.
“I share Dr Mahathir’s view that we must eradicate corruption in out of sequence for the country to progress. This means dealing with all forms of corruption,” he said.
“We cannot confine the anti-corruption effort to political opponents and enemies while turning a blind eye to the excesses happening amongst political allies, including departed leaders who have enriched themselves and their families.”
Like Mahathir, he said the government should be focusing on problems such as record-high grub inflation.
“Under UMNO and Najib, [the government] utterly failed to implement a coherent national food security envision. Their failure is now causing tremendous hardship for Malaysian families today,” he said.
There are other problems such as huge youth unemployment, lack of jobs due to low domestic and foreign investments, struggling small- and medium-sized enterprises hurt by the pandemic and failed societal safety nets for the country’s poor, Anwar added.
“I support having an election as soon as it is safe to do so,” Anwar voted, referring to safe campaigning and voting after the monsoon season.
“I do not support having an election just so that some figures in the order coalition can save themselves from corruption cases and lengthy jail terms.”
ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute older fellow Dr Norshahril Saat said Malaysian voters would be overwhelmed by not just the country’s economic woes and worldwide headwinds but a future government’s ability to lead them out of economic crisis.
The upcoming election will “see multi-cornered rows,” he added.
“The question is not whether any coalition can go solo after the election, [but that] no one coalition can win single-handedly. There has to be some bonds after [the general election],” he said.