DAP, which holds the largest number of federal seats – 40 – in the Madani administration, appears to be stepping up pressure on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
DAP, which holds 40 federal seats and is the largest component in the Madani administration, appears to be increasing pressure on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Party adviser Lim Guan Eng yesterday posted on Facebook the speech he delivered on Monday night at a Penang event, saying some believe Anwar has not done enough.
“We have heard the voices of the people and will take their views seriously. We will convey these concerns to the prime minister and urge the government to fulfil its promises as soon as possible,” he said.
“When the prime minister does the right thing, we must speak fairly; but when he does something wrong or not enough, we also have the responsibility to speak up. This is a fundamental principle of being an elected representative,” he added.
Lim’s remarks came about 48 hours after the Sabah state election, which saw DAP lose all eight seats it contested — a result that has raised fears of similar outcomes in the next general election.
The former finance minister said he hoped the prime minister would announce “good news at the end of the year” and not disappoint the support and trust that non-Malays have placed in Pakatan Harapan.
“Non-Malays must feel that their votes were not cast in vain.
“And the most basic step is to increase allocations for non-Malays, especially for schools and temples, so that our education and various religions can continue to develop better,” he said.
Following an emergency central executive committee meeting on 1 December, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke described the Sabah results as a “strong and unmistakable message from the voters” and said they reflected a serious crisis of confidence for both DAP and Pakatan Harapan.
“Leaders and members involved in the campaign were made aware of the widespread public dissatisfaction throughout the campaign trail.
“After thorough reflection, we will compile all feedback received and work closely with the prime minister to accelerate the reform agenda over the next six months,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, Lim also voiced frustration that Anwar had ignored his repeated objections to the expansion of the sales and services tax and other measures he said burden the public.
“The prime minister can choose not to listen to me. However, he cannot afford to refuse to listen to the voices of Sabah voters,” the Bagan MP said, stressing that the election results show voters are unhappy about additional taxes.