我国一名前外交官眼里：
世上唯一“候任首相”
带给马来西亚的麻烦
作者 / 来源：Dennis Ignatius / FMT
若将此文与作者此前撰写的< 国民团结或是马来主权>（National Unity or Malay Supremacy? ）一文联系起来阅读，就很容易体会作者作为一个经历了36年外交官生活、向来维护统治权贵和统治集团利益的人的政治立场。作者乐观看待马哈迪领导下的马来西亚“改朝换代”，并期待马哈迪及其掌控下的希盟政府的良好施政，以拯救马来西亚。
作者在此文中，主要是为马哈迪及其权贵集团顺利建设和巩固马哈迪主义政府摇旗呐喊。作者对“安华在新加坡的表态”和“北京对安华的召唤”的述说中，明显地流露了他反对安华目前积极为自己和人民公正党的政治前途而作出的所有努力和表现，以及反对安华独立自主发展对外关系（指国际关系）的活动。
这篇文章的内容，让国人轻易感觉，作者是在尽力拉拢国内亲美利益集团，尽可能阻碍以至破坏中国推动“一带一路”战略部署及其带动沿线国家经济发展的努力和作用。显而易见，作者的理想外交政策，是希望马哈迪政府走好走稳“亲美反华”的路线。因此，在作者眼里，安华是一名带给马来西亚麻烦、世上唯一的“候任首相”，也就不足为奇了！
安华和公正党的前途取决于安华是否能摆脱马哈迪和马哈迪主义的支配，而让他本身和人民公正党基层群众所推动的“烈火莫熄”运动跟各族人民所推动的真正民主改革运动结合起来、发展下去。这就决定在他本人、他的家族、他的团队的斗争意志和政治智慧了。迹象显示，安华目前面临严峻考验，按照常理，历经沧桑的安华不可能不理解政治上不能有任何侥幸，何况对手还是马哈迪。
安华是否能顺利无阻地从马哈迪手中接棒？安华接棒以后是否会与人民同在，是否会坚持真正的民主改革？让国人和世人拭目以待吧！
......................................................
......................................................
安华，作为候任首相，是否应该保持安静耐心等待直到他宣誓就职，或者是他是否应该通过谈谈他接棒之后将会如何大展宏图，开始为自己定位以迎接走马上任的重大日子到来？
安华：等我当上首相？
这是一个棘手的问题，因为他（安华）的任何谈话，若跟现任首相（马哈迪）的政策不一致，都无可避免被人视为两人意见分歧的标志。虽然安华没有担任任何政府职位，他终究是执政的希望联盟的高层领袖。
例如，上个月候任首相（安华）在新加坡，似乎给人留下深刻印象：我国与新加坡之间关系的任何改善都必须等到他担任首相之后再说。他似乎在强调他跟马哈迪的不同之处，而且他承诺，他一旦担任首相，出外访问的第一个国家将是新加坡。考虑到马哈迪至今未曾访问新加坡，许多人认为这是一项以付出首相名义为代价，到新加坡哗众取宠、讨好民心的行动。
当然，安华的这种姿态，对解决问题是没有帮助的；它可以被解释为向新加坡发出一个信号：你们只好挺直坐着，等到我（安华）当了首相才能解决悬而未决的双边课题。这或许不是他（安华）的意图，但人们确实是可以这样解释它的。
北京召唤安华访问
最近，谈到他（安华）接受中国共产党对外联络部的邀请，即将访问中国。根据报道，有人通知候任首相安华说，“北京的领导人’想从他（安华）那里知道关于马来西亚与中国的关系，将来会是怎么样的呢？’”
关于他（安华）担任首相之后的对华政策问题，最好留到他正式接管首相署的那一天才谈。任何关于他接任后可能做什么或不做什么的讨论，只会是像弄浑一潭清水一样的结果，这是因为两国都在努力解决前朝政府遗留下来的严重问题。
在这时刻，中国（或者是任何其他国家，在那个事务上）所要关注的是我国现任首相尝试做些什么，如何将国家从前朝政府推向不顾后果的处境中解救过来，而不是关注一个未来首相将会做些什么。
不言而喻的是，我们在一个阶段（时期）只能有一个首相，现在的首相就是马哈迪，不管你喜欢或不喜欢他。正是由他和他的内阁制定政策和作出决定。如果一个外国政府关注马来西亚的政策，它就应该跟马哈迪谈论，而不是寻求跟候任首相安华接触。到头来，谁知道他们可能要等多久。
中国可能只是想要对或将成为我国下一任首相的人（指安华）进行一个考量或评估；其他国家无疑也会做同样的事情。但是，重要的是每个人都明白，现任首相的想法，才是最重要的，至少目前是如此。
我国现在只有一个首相
无论你怎么看，我国有一个候任首相，特别是在接手之前需要等待两年或以上的时间的一个侯任首相，是一件颇为尴尬的事。也许这就是为什么候任首相的职位不是你经常看到的职位的原因。事实上，马来西亚一定是世界上唯一拥有这种职位的国家。
设立“候任首相”这个职位，或许是在第14届大选前，希盟各党组织政治联盟过程中的一个必要的折衷方案，但是，它有可能对这个政治联盟今后的发展造成混乱和不确定性。
对于一个候任首相，尤其是那个不得不等待很长时间并且要保持低调的人来说，当然是一项挑战。政治本来就是这样，人们显然希望获得他对一些课题的思想和看法，只是为了更好地为他接管的那一天做好准备。他本身也必须在一个不可预测的和迅速变化的政治局势中，找到办法保持相关地位和切合最佳状态。
然而，存在着这样的一种危险，那就是他越是试图详细说明他自己和他的未来政府，他就越鼓励其他国家接触他这个候任首相，也将更多地损害现任首相的权威。
总而言之，任何使到当今政府看起来像一只跛脚鸭的做法，都是对我们的国家不利的。
.....................................................................................................................................................................
The trouble with having a PM-in-waiting
Author/Source: Dennis Ignatius/FMT
[Sahabat Rakyat Editor's Note] This article is written by Dennis Ignatius, the former diplomat of Malaysia (picture at the right) published at Free Malaysia Today on 22 October.If you read this article together with the author's previous article entitled "National Unity or Malay Supremacy?", you can then easily realise the political stance of the author, who was a diplomat for 36 years, who all the while safeguard the interests of the ruling dignitaries and ruling clique. The author is optimistic about the “Change” (Ubah) of Malaysia led by Mahathir, and is looking forward to good governance by Mahathir and the PH government dominated by him to save Malaysia.
This article mainly aims to bang the drum for the smooth formation and consolidation of Mahathirism government undertaken by Mahathir and his dignitary clique. From the author’s narration about “what Anwar declared in Singapore “and “Beijing`s call on Anwar”, the author clearly reveals his objection to all the efforts and performance actively made by Anwar for his and PKR `s political future as well as his objection to Anwar`s current activities to develop foreign relations (referring to international relations) independently and autonomously.
The content of this article makes the people feel that the author is trying to win over the pro-US interest groups in Malaysia, to hinder and even undermine as much as possible China's efforts and significance in promoting strategic deployment of "The Belt and Road" and driving the economic development of the countries along the route. Obviously, the author's ideal foreign policy is hoping that the Mahathir government will steady and stabilise the "pro-US anti-China" political line. Therefore, it is not surprising that, in the eyes of the author, Anwar is a "PM-In-Waiting" who brings trouble to Malaysia and is the only one in the world!
The future of Anwar and PKR depends on whether Anwar can get rid of the domination of Mahathir and Mahathirism, and let the “Reformasi” movement promoted by him and the grassroots masses in PKR to join forces with the true democratic reform movement promoted by the people of all ethnic groups, and continue to develop further. This depends upon the struggling will and political wisdom of Anwar, his family and his team. The signs show that Anwar is currently facing a severe test. According to common sense, Anwar, who has experienced vicissitudes of life, should understand that politically no one can take a chance, especially when the opponent is Mahathir.
Can Anwar smoothly and unimpededly take over from Mahathir? After Anwar takes over, will he still be with the people, will he still insist on true democratic reform? Let the people and the world wait and see!
......................................................
As Anwar Ibrahim settles into his role as prime minister-in-waiting, the question of what a PM-in-waiting is supposed to do while waiting comes increasingly to mind.
Does the PM-in-waiting keep quiet and wait patiently until he takes the oath of office or does he start positioning himself for the big day by talking about what he intends to do when he takes over?
Wait until I become PM?
It is a tricky question because anything he says that doesn’t line up with the present prime minister’s policies will invariably be seen as a sign of disagreement. Though Anwar doesn’t hold any government position, he is, after all, a senior member of the ruling coalition.
In Singapore last month, for example, the PM-in-waiting appeared to leave the distinct impression that any improvement in relations with the city-state would have to wait until he assumes office. And, as if to underline how different he is from Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he promised that his first official visit abroad as prime minister would be to Singapore. Given that Mahathir has yet to visit Singapore, many considered it an attempt to play to the gallery in Singapore at the prime minister’s expense.
Such posturing is, of course, unhelpful; it can be interpreted as a signal to Singapore to just sit tight and wait till he becomes prime minister to resolve outstanding bilateral issues. That may not have been his intention but it was certainly open to interpretation.
Beijing calling
More recently, talking about his upcoming visit to China at the invitation of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, the PM-in-waiting was reported to have said that the leadership in Beijing “want to know from [him] what the future is like” in terms of Malaysia-China relations.
Questions concerning his future administration’s policies vis-à-vis China are best left to the day when he formally takes over. Any discussion about what he may or may not do when he takes over will simply muddy the waters as both nations grapple with serious issues left over from the previous administration.
What China (or any other country, for that matter) should be concerned about at this point of time is not what a future prime minister will do but what the present prime minister is trying to do to rescue the nation from the recklessness of the previous government.
It is axiomatic that we can only have one prime minister at a time and right now, like it or not, it is Mahathir. He, together with his Cabinet, sets policies and makes decisions. If a foreign government has concerns about Malaysia’s policies, it should talk to Mahathir rather than seek to engage the PM-in-waiting. After all, who knows how long they might have to wait.
It may be that China simply wants to get a measure of the man who might be the next prime minister; no doubt other countries will be doing the same thing. What is important, however, is that everybody understands that it is the thinking of the sitting prime minister that matters most, at least for now.
One prime minister at a time, please
Whichever way you look at it, having a PM-in-waiting, especially one that will have to wait two or more years before taking over, is somewhat awkward. It is perhaps the reason why the post of PM-in-waiting is not one you often see. In fact, we must be the only country in the world with such a position.
It might have been a necessary compromise as part of the coalition-building process before the election but it has the potential to create confusion and uncertainty going forward.
It is, of course, challenging for a PM-in-waiting, especially one who has had to wait so long, to stay low-key. Politics being what it is, people will obviously want to get his thinking on issues if only to better prepare for the day when he takes over. And he himself has to find ways to stay relevant and in the groove in an uncertain and rapidly evolving political situation.
There is a danger, however, that the more he seeks to define himself and his future administration and the more he encourages other nations to engage him in the capacity of PM-in-waiting, the more it will undermine the current prime minister.
Needless to say, anything that makes the current administration look like a lame duck cannot be good for our nation.#
0 comments:
Post a Comment