EDITORIAL-BP: OPINION- No time for party discord

Should Finance Minister and head of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party Uttama Savanayana be held to account? Definitely. His performance managing state finances, especially the 5,000-baht cash assistance scheme for people affected by the coronavirus outbreak, has been dismal.

An alleged attempt by some members of the PPRP to remove him from the party leadership post, however, seems misguided.

The country is in the middle of arguably the gravest crisis it has faced in decades. It’s no time for political wheeling and dealing.

Unfortunately, news reports about strife within the ruling PPRP to unseat its leader suggest it is more of an unscrupulous scheme to gain political advantage than an effort to improve the party’s performance or foster political accountability which would benefit the nation.

Mr Uttama admitted there have been talks about replacing him and the party’s secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong, who is also Energy Minister, in line with news reports.

The finance minister said he would be ready for negotiations but would like to concentrate on the task at hand — providing relief measures to help people cope with the fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Sontirat said he had not been asked to resign to pave the way for a new appointment.

The squabble within the PPRP reportedly reflects attempts at jockeying for position in anticipation of a cabinet reshuffle.

After the news reports surfaced, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha looked to put a stop to the rumour mill.

During a meeting of the Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration on Monday, the PM said a cabinet reshuffle is not currently on the agenda.

He added that if such a reshuffle was in the offing, the list of ministers would be up to him and him alone. There will be no negotiations nor discussions on the matter, the PM said in an apparent attempt to snuff out the factional war within.

The PM also insisted that now is no time to discuss the cabinet reshuffle as the country’s priority remains overcoming the Covid-19 crisis.

Gen Prayut was correct in dousing the flare-up within the ruling party. The politicking appears wrought with vested interests. Such power wrangling is indeed a distraction — a useless and ignoble sideshow that is totally unwanted as millions of people are struggling to survive amid the outbreak and economic slump.

But that does not mean the PM can turn a blind eye to ineptitude and inefficiency within his government that has publicly been laid bare by the viral crisis.

That his key ministers have not been included in the CCSA, the central body administering the Covid-19 response, is evidence they may not be up to the task.

Should the cabinet ministers have played a more constructive role in battling the outbreak and providing relief to people suffering from its impacts?

Gen Prayut may not wish to address the question as it may appear that he is laying blame on the ministers when the crisis is far from over. But he will be obliged to tackle it at some point.

As the government leader, it is Gen Prayut’s duty to bring members of his cabinet to task and ascertain a culture of transparency and accountability. Failing to do so would be a betrayal of the public trust.