Realpolitik the order of the day

TRUTH be told, it's certainly not the perfect Cabinet line-up. It's likely that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was pulled from all sides, including by some powerful figures who insisted on their choices of Cabinet representatives.

The Prime Minister took a longer time than expected to finalise his list since party members and partners in his unity government bombarded his phone with messages and suggestions.

There were many endless meetings with the stakeholders, which dragged late into the night as the deadline loomed.

His 5pm press conference to announce the list had to be postponed until 8.15pm, and even that was not punctual.

The Prime Minister had to honour his pledge for a leaner Cabinet, while balancing the demands of his partners.

Although that gave the impression that Anwar had to labour through horse-trading and looked seemingly weak, history tells us that his predecessors had taken even longer.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took 11 days to fully complete his full line-up after GE14 in 2018, which many have conveniently forgotten.

Also, Anwar is in a more complicated situation. Despite having a two-thirds majority in Parliament, Malaysia is in uncharted waters.

Our nation has never had a unity government comprising partners who just slugged it out in a bruising election.

Many made open pledges of not wanting to work together and slammed each other during campaigning.

But now, they are in the same government, and surely, they make for strange bedfellows and need a period of adjustment to keep the government intact.

The period of instability and uncertainty will create some turbulence, but rational Malaysians certainly want this government to work out.

The alternative, with its many hard-line theologian politicians, seems unpalatable. Perhaps, it's even dangerous to multi-racial Malaysia.

Following the race riots in 1969, the Barisan Nasional government was formed, and included the then opposition PAS and Gerakan.

It was not called a unity government, but the new coalition government worked and functioned effectively under Tun Abdul Razak.

Fast forward to 2022, and Anwar is certainly sitting in a hot seat. Apart from facing a strong Malay and religious centric opposition, with PAS' 49 Members of Parliament, doubts will also plague his leadership.

After all, the Islamist party has already used the narrative that the Pakatan Harapan government is dominated by the DAP.

Like it or not, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has thrown PH a lifeline for Anwar to be the Prime Minister and to lead a federal government. Anwar is indebted to him because without Zahid, he wouldn't be helming the country.

Zahid's inclusion has earned the wrath of PH members, but let's not forget that he also faces the same brickbats from BN parties.

We don't live in a perfect and idealistic world. Realpolitik is the order of the day. Politicians say things they don't mean, and certainly, to paraphrase Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli, it is the end that justifies the means.

There has also been a strong backlash against the inclusion of former banker Datuk Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who lost in the Kuala Selangor parliamentary constituency.

But this isn't a new practice. Previously, political leaders who had lost in the elections have been made Senators and appointed to ministerial positions.

This time, PKR's Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who lost in his bid for the Kulim Bandar Baharu seat, now heads the powerful Home Ministry, while Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, who was defeated in Lumut, is now the Foreign Minister.

For some reason, Zafrul has been targeted, but like former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, they are both young talents that Malaysia needs.

Unfortunately, both lost in GE15. Likewise, it is sad that PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar was beaten in Permatang Pauh by PAS.

But the inclusion of popular Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh is certainly welcome, although she would be more suitable as Tourism Minister, given her personality, than as Youth and Sports Minister.

Sarawakian leader Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who is Tourism Minister, would be more cut out for an economy-related portfolio, although it can be argued that tourism is a crucial revenue earner.

They are bright sparks in Malaysian politics who are ready to cut across the political divide and practise bipartisan politics in a mature manner.

Not many, like Zafrul, are ready to leave high-paying positions in the corporate world for politics. How many of us, who prefer to whine, are prepared to make such bold moves?

It's important that Anwar now focuses on facing the headwinds of 2023. He has correctly placed more emphasis on the economy, cost of living and food security, which will affect people the most.

Besides the economy, the government needs to prove that it can deliver. If it does, then it doesn't need to spend its attention on politicians who rely on race and religion to garner support.

There should be no place for the politics of revenge and vindictiveness by the new appointees. Leave the civil servants alone.

Malaysians want to see the end of corruption, a better education system, a healthy economy, a fairer government, and one that can make us feel proud of our country again.