Senator Alan Ling
MIRI: Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak secretary Senator Alan Ling regards Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a legend who is still fired up in doing national service despite being 94 years old yesterday.
What he admires most of Dr Mahathir is his sharpness and clarity of mind and quick action despite his old age.
He said PH Sarawak is counting on the ‘Grand Old Man of Malaysian politics’ to spearhead efforts to win the coming Sarawak election due in 2021.
To many, it is unbelievable that a 94-year-old man is still actively involved in politics and helms the top position in the country in such a challenging time when the country is in much debt due to mismanagement of funds by the previous government, he said when contacted yesterday.
“Tun Mahathir has been working so hard to reshape the country, to regain the glory of our beloved nation in the global arena as to be a well respected nation,” he said.
The history-making Dr Mahathir celebrated his 94th birthday yesterday in his second stint as Prime Minister, this time in a different coalition after leading PH to defeat Barisan Nasional (BN) which had ruled for about six decades.
In his social media accounts thanking all well-wishers, Dr Mahathir said his birthday wish was to finish his job in setting Malaysia on the road of recovery, and it had been a privilege and honour for him to serve this country.
With Dr Mahathir as prime minister, PH has aggressively pursued an anti-corruption drive with the prosecution of the former prime minister, former deputy prime minister and a coterie of BN leaders while pledging to bring down the monumental amount of debts of the country.
“We will support his leadership wholeheartedly,” said Ling, who is also DAP Sarawak secretary.
He said the winning of federal power in the last general election was undoubtedly attributed to Dr Mahathir, coupled with the fighting spirit of all PH leaders such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Mat Sabu to make it possible for the first ever change of government in Malaysia through democratic process.
“The next task is for PH to win power in Sarawak under Tun Mahathir’s capable leadership and charismatic approach,” said Ling.
He pointed out that the PH federal government is united in its quest to restore the rule of law as can be seen by the gradual amendments to many outdated legislations in each of the parliament sittings as well as the uncompromising commitment towards clean and transparent governance.
Ling is confident that the people of Sarawak are willing to give PH a chance to form the Sarawak government.
“I wish the right honourable Prime Minister a very happy birthday and good health to continue leading the country,” he added.