Something’s rotten when opposition leaders get prime-time focus

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was featured on TV3's prime-time news Buletin Utama last night, a rarity for opposition leaders in Malaysia. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 7, 2014.

Very few opposition leaders get to appear on prime-time news in Malaysia. Mainly because the state broadcaster RTM sticks to the straight and narrow government news while private broadcaster TV3 is owned by Umno-linked Media Prima Bhd.

And very few opposition politicians get endorsed by mainstream newspapers for exactly the same reasons, too.

If any opposition politicians get their 15 minutes of fame, it is usually after they have defected to Barisan Nasional (BN) or their views damage their own coalition.

The list of those who get the prime-time and pages treatment is not that long and includes former Selangor PAS politician Datuk Dr Hassan Ali, former MPs Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed and Wee Choo Keong.

So what can one make of PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang who had his 15 minutes of fame on TV3's prime-time news Buletin Utama? 

Or that the Umno newspaper Utusan Malaysia has endorsed his stance on the Selangor menteri besar impasse in its Sunday edition today? There must be a reason Hadi has become the darling of the BN media.

After all, this is the politician who has been vilified on prime-time news for his Amanat Haji Hadi issued some 30 years ago. He has been demonised for seeking to implement Islamic criminal law hudud.

But now, Hadi gets prime-time space to explain his stand on the Selangor MB impasse. 

And Utusan Malaysia has decided that his views are right about PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is not the right candidate for the top job.

Of course, Hadi should take the opportunity to explain himself. It is a democracy. But he must remember all those who have been endorsed by Utusan or on prime-time television news usually end up opposite their own colleagues.

That the pro-government media only takes your opinion if its supportive of their agenda. That you can be dropped like a hot potato once you say something inconvenient to their cause.

But Hadi knows this. He is no political greenhorn.

Unless he thinks he can outfox the pro-government media as he has done his allies in the Selangor MB impasse, he should know that he is working with the kryptonite of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition.

And that is nothing short of being evil to your own allies. Not something one would expect from the leader of an Islamist party, whose decisions are based on the Quranic traditions of Prophet Muhammad.

Then again, Hadi is just a politician and like most if not all politicians, he believes in permanent interests, not permanent friends.

- TMI