'Just because I am good friends with them, does not mean I must be silent' - Pasir Gudang MP
KUALA LUMPUR - Friendship does not mean there is no room to disagree, says Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim.
Hassan said he reprimanded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim through a poem entitled 'DNAA' and questioned Pakatan Harapan's (PH) fight against corruption because he was concerned.
His poem, composed in Malay and published in September this year on his personal Facebook page, had innuendos on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's discharge from the charges of misappropriating funds from Yayasan Akalbudi.
The translated poem reads as such:
DNAA
"We spoke of eradicating corruption daily,
"We stood on a high moral ground free from bribery to uphold integrity,
"We chanted the reform slogan but can the people believe us now?
"There was prima facie evidence but suddenly, today, corruption charges dropped and DNAA was granted,
"Decisions to be released without acquittal given so effortlessly?
"Seemingly so nonchalant, Then I ask, where is the rule of law?
"Often repeated during this Merdeka month,
Don't be upset when I question once more is my nation's constitution truly noble? "No two-tiered interpretation of the law?
"One for the common people, and another for the elite in power? "Today, I never felt as dejected.
"I feel empty and the noble struggle I once believed in fruitless, now I question.
"But this is what unfolds - the corrupt and untrustworthy can easily escape the law."
"I could not remain silent on the DNAA issue. I am still serving as a criminal lawyer; not only am I serving in the Magistrate Court, but I am even serving in the Federal Court.
"Zahid is my good friend, and we studied at the same university; the criticism was directed not only to the Prime Minister but also to a very good friend of mine.
"Is it because we are friends that I must be silent? The language I use is not harsh; instead, I tried to convey it through poetry, but the poem carries a sharp meaning. My actions, however, angered other members of Parliament," he said in an exclusive interview with Sinar.
When asked whether Anwar had contacted him after he wrote the poem, Hassan said Anwar understood his actions.
"Some MPs and party members were angry and thought I was trying to destroy the party, but Anwar himself never contacted me to criticise my actions; in fact, he understood.
"When Anwar was in prison, he sent me a letter. At that time, I was one of the leaders of the Malaysian People's Party (PRM). In the letter, he expressed his desire to invite me to join together to form a new party.
"While at that time he knew that I strongly rejected the merger because I loved the party, I finally agreed to merge. Anwar also knows that I have a goal to fight for. For him, criticism does not cause problems, but he just is not agreeable to slander. He always accepted criticism." Hassan said.
Hassan added that he did not want anything by writing the poem and reprimanding the Prime Minister.
"I really don't want anything; I have reached a certain age, and there is no position that I want to pursue.
"I am just thankful to be a representative of the people. One thing I want to tell you is that I have been involved in politics since my university days. I have supported Anwar since he was single. In the past 50 years, there has been a demonstration in support of Palestine in which Anwar and I marched together.
"So now when he mentions Palestine in Parliament, it is not a farce, but that is actually Anwar's personality.
"When Anwar went to New York, America, for the United Nations conference, he was interviewed by a CNN reporter. One of the questions asked was how MPs from the government criticised the DNAA issue, and he replied that it was the correct course of action that symbolised the democracy practiced in the PKR, where party members are allowed to criticise openly," Hassan said.
