Dear PH, a tiger cannot change its stripes

When I became eligible to vote in 1995, I remember seeing the likes of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Today, years later, these names are still actively involved in politics. While we have managed to dethrone Barisan Nasional, its component parties, save for Gerakan, have somehow managed to creep back into the government.

I would think that parties like DAP would have learnt from the past what those in Umno are capable of and that joining forces with them is akin to opening yourself up to the unknown, but the opposite is true.

The fiasco in our local politics today reminds me of the Trojan Horse in Greek mythology. That is exactly what is happening today: Umno sitting comfortably on a wooden horse, while others like DAP and PKR blindly open their doors to them.

How is it that those like Anthony Loke and Teo Nie Ching do not realise what is going on? Umno is never going to be contented with being given the deputy prime minister's post and will certainly be looking for a larger piece of the cake.

While Loke and his pack try to paint a rosy picture at the top, the same does not resonate among those at the grassroots.

Umno grassroots do not understand and seem confused, while those in DAP are disillusioned over this sudden "unholy alliance" between two parties who were bitter rivals not so long ago.

Voters like me, and I am sure many others, do not have faith in this "unity government" arrangement and believe it is just a matter of time before Umno shows its true colours.

The only reason this "unholy alliance" was formed is that Umno was desperate and at the deep end of the pool, willing to grab any hand that offered it a lifeline.

The party has begun crumbling from within with several key members riddled with allegations of corruption and abuse of power already having left the party.

Others were smart enough to steer clear of Umno, but unfortunately, Pakatan Harapan (PH) was not wise enough and took the bait.

As for me, I must say I am both surprised and greatly disappointed. PH leaders just do not seem to learn. Look at what happened in 2018 when they went ahead and trusted Mahathir, a former Umno leader, to become the prime minister.

And now, despite having been given a second chance, they are once again allowing the enemy into their homes. On my end, I have simply given up on PH and will not allow myself to be hoodwinked again.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.