Zahid’s DNAA a clear red line for Muda to quit unity govt, says Syed Saddiq

PETALING JAYA: While admitting that it will be “a long and lonely road ahead”, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman vows to “work remarkably hard” to hold the government accountable after the party decided to move to the Opposition as a third force.

Syed Saddiq, who is also Muar MP, said the decision to quit the unity government in favour of being the third force in the country’s political landscape was tough.

However, he said he could not stay silent upon seeing “one after another red lines being broken” by the unity government, with the biggest being the Attorney General’s decision to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on 47 corruption charges in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Syed Saddiq described the DNAA as a “clear red line”.

“It’s not just about this case. This is just the beginning of many more abandonments of reforms and that’s what I’m genuinely worried about.

“It starts with this and eventually, more cases may be dropped because of political interference,” he said during a virtual town hall session on Sunday (Sept 10) hours after Muda announced its departure from the unity government.

Syed Saddiq added that the country’s outdated political system and weak checks and balances coupled with a lack of separation of powers had enabled the same problems to occur no matter which coalition came to power.

“An outdated political system has blocked the country’s path towards being a nation of integrity.

“A reform-centred government that has been due for decades, which will fight corruption and bring institutional reforms, those were the reasons why I supported the unity government.

“But, unfortunately, the left hand says it wants to fight corruption yet the right hand is freeing the corrupt, that is clearly wrong,” he said.

“It will be a lonely and long road ahead but as long as we hold on to our principles and our aim to strengthen public institutions, I’m confident our nation can be healed and we can ensure our nation progresses with dignity and integrity.

“That’s the reason we made the decision to leave,” he said.

Syed Saddiq added that he would play his role as an effective Opposition immediately while assuring that the party will continue to support the unity government in matters such as institutional reforms, which require a two-thirds vote of the Dewan Rakyat.

He assured that matters such as amending the Federal Constitution to enable children born overseas to Malaysian mothers, who are married to foreigners, to automatically become citizens, would get Muda’s backing in Parliament, among other crucial reforms.

“I will work remarkably hard to hold this government to account. That will be my main focus in Parliament,” he said, adding that his journey in the Opposition bloc would start on Monday (Sept 11) when the six-day special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat begins.

“It’s not easy but it’s better for me to be alone than to abandon my principles.

“I know if I take the easy route, I will not be able to sleep because my conscience is not clear. I know this decision is tough and politically, I may lose out but it’s okay,” he said.