Syed Saddiq “flip-flops” again

Should he just vacate his seat?

There is great irony in this song by Namewee

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is back in the news again with his apparent agreement to participate in a national roadshow “Jalajah” organized by Perikatan Nasional (PN), according to a statement made by PN leader Muhyiddin Yassin last week.

MUDA’s secretary-general Amir Hariri Abdul Hadi later came out and said that MUDA would not be joining the PN roadshow and it was never discussed at their central committee. News of Syed Saddiq’s apparent intention to participate in the PN roadshow also met with outcries from social media. The grassroots of MUDA are calling for the party to distance itself from Syed Saddiq.

Political analysts also canned the idea saying that PN would benefit from Syed Saddiq’s participation, without much mutual benefit going back to him or his party MUDA.

Although Syed Saddiq claimed this was a non-partisan tour, the PN ultimate aim of the roadshow was espoused as a campaign to raise non-Malay support.

One can only speculate what is running through Syed Saddiq’s mind to accept such an offer. Some analysts believe that Syed Saddiq is running out of choices, and PN may treat him much more kindly than PH did. This would assist him in the coming general election retain his seat, which he holds with only a 1,345 majority.

Syed Saddiq has shown himself to be erratic over his political career. Once seen as mentored by Mahathir Mohamed during his Bersatu days, Syed held a dinner for the Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, which he later mentioned was a mistake. Syed Saddiq has always been difficult to pin-down on actual policy positions. He is also a young global leader of the World Economic Forum.

Syed Saddiq was the former youth and sports minister as a member of Parti Prebumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), back in 2018 under then prime minister Mahathir Mohemad. After the Sheraton Putsch in February 2020, Syed Saddiq became an independent MP and later aligned with Pakatan Harapan (PH). In September 2023, MUDA unhitched themselves from PH and aligned with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), as a ‘third force’.

Syed Saddiq was convicted of corruption in regards to the misappropriated of funds belonging to Bersatu, where he acted as the youth chief three years ago. He was dealt a harsh penalty by the High Court, where he was sentenced to 7 years prison, a stroke of the cane, and a RM 10 million fine. Syed Saddiq is out on bail appealing his case.

Syed Saddiq’s latest move has estranged himself further from MUDA, where he stepped down from all leadership positions he held, after his conviction. There is now a strong public perception that Syed Saddiq is just a political opportunist.

However, Syed Saddiq would certainly be politically better off under PN, but really missed his real chance back in 2020, when Muhyiddin became prime minister. Had he stayed with Bersatu, he might have been a junior minister a little longer, and today be one of the prominent opposition figures.

With the way support has been strengthening for PN in the electorate, this could have been a wise move for Syed Saddiq and even MUDA.

So, from Syed Sadiq’s ‘flip-flops’, should he vacate his Muar seat now and step down, thus pre-empting any potential expulsion from MUDA, and rewin the seat under the PN banner? There is some logic in that, leaving behind the sinking MUDA ship.

This might be a sensible thing to do.

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