LETTER | Ambiga Sreenevasan dear, you accuse Anwar Ibrahim and his family of nepotism but you have chosen to be blind to the glaring examples of nepotism that exist in Pakatan Harapan, which is shocking for a hotshot lawyer and former leader of Bersih like you.

First, let us look at DAP, also nicknamed, even before the formation of Harapan, as ‘Daddy Anak Party’. The son, Lim Guan Eng is secretary-general of the party. The father Lim Kit Sang, who should rightly be called the “Constituency-hopping MP” (for he has hopped nine constituencies so far) is the adviser to the party - but that does not imply he has no power.

Kit Siang and his son have a stranglehold over the party. No party member has thwarted them and survived in DAP politics.

Now, the moniker ‘Daddy Anak Party’ will have to be changed to ‘Daddy Anak Lelaki dan Anak Perempuan Party’, since the nomination of Kit Siang’s daughter Lim Hui Ying as a senator. With some bravado she has attempted to defend her appointment, citing her many years of experience and service in DAP Penang.

So have many others in DAP! Hui Ying’s defence is rather weak as she has never proved her worth via the ballot box.

Fortunately, for Malaysians, the fourth member of the Lim clan, Betty Chew, who is the spouse of Guan Eng, is now not active in politics, having long served as an elected state assemblyperson in Malacca. Four Lims would have been too much for Malaysians to stomach.

Though Chew does not hold any political positions in the government or in DAP, her insidious influence on Guan Eng and DAP cannot be countenanced lightly. When her husband was chief minister of Penang, she was infamous for her alleged attack of a former member of staff of Guan Eng, who was rumoured to be having an affair with her husband.

Second, a look at the prime minister. That Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s family members have also been appointed to positions of power within the government fills Malaysians with misgivings. Mahathir appointed his son, Mukhriz (on right in photo), as the menteri besar of Kedah, a position he was sacked from by the previous government.

The prime minister’s desire to make his son the future prime minister of Malaysia is certainly still burning in his heart and is well known. The only problem is the prime minister’s mortality, a factor he is very well aware of and has himself commented on many times.

Recently, Mahathir also appointed his grand-nephew, Mohamad Nuhairi Rahmat, as his political secretary. A very powerful position indeed!

Another son of Mahathir, Mokhzani, has received lucrative contracts from the government and Tenaga Nasional Berhad, which seems ominous, considering we are barely past three months into the Harapan government.

Though the offer of contracts to Mokhzani has been defended stoutly as being obtained fairly and squarely by open bidding, most Malaysians are not convinced.

Now, coming to the Karpal Singh family. Three of the siblings are in the government. Gobind Singh Deo is a minister, his brother Ramkarpal Singh is an MP while another brother, Jagdeep Singh is a state executive councillor in Penang. From time to time, there has been talk of their sister, Sangeet Kaur Deo, entering politics as well.

The older Karpal siblings, Jagdeep and Gobind, have so far been conducting themselves well as per the requirements of their portfolios. Unfortunately, Ramkarpal appears to be more of a loose cannon. He is known to make rash statements, contrary to the views of the party, and then being forced to withdraw them.

Nepotism is vigorously alive in Harapan! Ambiga, you did not cry out “nepotism” regarding the Lims, the prime minister or the Karpals. Why do you selectively pinpoint Anwar Ibrahim?

Nepotism in any form is not acceptable!