CSR MOU between Ismail Sabri and PH leaders not sure to fail but any failure must not stem from PH

Let me clarify what I had said at the zoom meeting with DAP Selangor leaders on Sunday: the confidence-supply-reform (CSR) memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders last Monday is not sure to fail but any failure must not stem from the Pakatan Harapan.

There are those who thought that I had said that the CSR MOU is sure to fail. I did not say that.

But many are expecting the CSR MOU to fail but we in DAP and PH want the CSR MOU to succeed, for its success will usher in a new political landscape for Malaysia.

But the CSR MOU can only succeed if both sides of the MOU co-operate to make it a success, as only one side cannot ensure its success.

The CSR MOU has many enemies.

The Utusan Malaysia interview by the new UMNO Parliamentary Whip, Tajuddin Abdul Rahman that without the CSR MOU, Ismail Sabri could end up as a “30-day Prime Minister” is one good example.

It is time that everyone in Malaysia make the Covid-19 pandemic the No. 1 issue that must be resolved, for we cannot afford to have two million Covid-19 cases and over 22,000 Covid-19 deaths, with more to come in the future.

In the face of the existential threat of Covid-19 pandemic, every other problem must take second place – as what is left if Malaysia is destroyed by the Covid-19 pandemic?

Instead of becoming one of the best-performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic, we have in the last 21 months become one of the world’s worst-performing states:

• losing out to China (which is ranked No. 109 while Malaysia is ranked No. 21 among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases);
• losing out to Indonesia in both yesterday’s daily new Covid-19 cases (Malaysia’s 14,345 cases vs Indonesia’s 1,932 cases) and daily Covid-19 deaths (Malaysia’s 301 vs Indonesia’s 166 Covid-19 deaths);
• losing out to India yesterday in daily Covid-19 deaths (262 deaths in India vs 301 in Malaysia).

Pakatan Harapan entered into the CSR MOU not because we want to ensure that Ismail Sabri does not become a 30-day Prime Minister - as this is not within our capability and Anwar Ibrahim does not have majority support in Parliament to become Prime Minister - but to lead Malaysians in having a political ceasefire and moratorium so that we can concentrate every ounce of our energy on resolving the Covid-19 pandemic and reset institutional and parliamentary reforms to make Malaysia a world-class great nation.

This is why we must explain the CSR MOU to all Malaysians and why they have a vested interest to ensure the success of the CSR MOU.

We must make the CSR MOU the MOU of the people of Malaysia, regardless of race, religion, region or politics.

If the CSR MOU fails, it is not because of the failure of the PH parties and leaders to fulfil their commitment, but because of the inability of Ismail Sabri to create a consensus to make the CSR MOU work.

The deplorable incident in Parliament yesterday where a senior minister blocked the Parliamentary Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun, from inviting the DAP MP for Teluk Intan Nga Kor Ming from chairing yesterday’s afternoon meeting is the result of Ismail Sabri’s inability to create consensus within his Cabinet in line with the CSR MoU.