Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri announced that with instant effect, all school teachers and Kemas staff nationwide are allowed to get involved in politics
This is a decision that was taken not to raise educational standards but to win the war between the ‘ministers’ cluster’ and the ‘court cluster’ in UMNO.
There are educational problems aplenty in Malaysia like the World Bank warning that the performance of Malaysian schoolchildren is lagging behind even those from a poorer country like Vietnam and the critical importance for Malaysia to start education reforms immediately but Ismail Sabri is not worried about these problems but only how he could continue as Prime Minister as long as possible.
The educational future of the young generation of Malaysia is being sacrificed on the altar of political interests of the two clusters in UMNO fighting for ascendance.
The Johore State Assembly has been dissolved and this is another victory of “Courts Cluster” who wants the 15th general election to be held immediately, believing this is crucial to save their leaders from jail for corruption.
The dissolution of the Johore State Assembly yesterday was a surprise, for everyone in-the-know was expecting the dissolution today.
But the lambasting by Johor Harapan is valid and legitimate, for it is a highly irresponsible act to trigger a state assembly election when the people are still facing the Covid-19 pandemic and the Omicron strain, flood disasters, economic issues etc and the pledge of co-operation and stability made by the Johore Harapan.
One of the biggest and intractable issues facing the people today is worsening corruption in the country, in particular the Azam-gate in the country.
Is every political party and candidate in the forthcoming Johore State General Election prepared to be committed to fight corruption?
(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 23rd January 2022)