PH told to keep promises to 5.5 million voters who supported it during GE14, while Malaysians urged not to give up on “new beginning”.
Lim Kit Siang anticipates that there will be a concerted effort to escalate the tensions between race and religion in Malaysian politics following the PAS-Umno unity charter signed yesterday.
In a press statement, the DAP veteran said he foresees Umno and PAS cybertroopers swarming social media and filling it with falsehoods, fake news and hate speech, as they attempt to pit the different ethnic groups and religions of Malaysia against one another for political gain.
He said the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration can either “out-Malay” Umno and “out-Islam PAS” to win over the 2.5 million PAS and Umno supporters or keep its promises to the 5.5 million voters who supported it during the 14th general election and brought the coalition to power by creating a moderate “Middle” Malaysia.
“Pakatan Harapan will fail and fall between two stools if it opts for the first choice,” he said.
“If the Pakatan Harapan government takes the high ground and is guided by the five-pillar promises of the manifesto in the 14th general election, the PAS-Umno alliance is likely to implode even before the next 15th general election,” he added.
Lim also took a swipe at Barisan Nasional components MCA and MIC for giving their blessing to the alliance.
“This despite an earlier MCA threat to ‘kick’ Umno out of Barisan Nasional if it ‘coddles up with PAS’.”
MCA had, on the eve of the signing of the historic charter, said it would “consent and respect” any collaboration between opposition parties in Malaysia as long as it was in line with the Federal Constitution and upheld moderation.
It also sent representatives to witness the signing of the charter between PAS and Umno in the spirt of the BN and “ensure that the gathering will strictly observe the values of multiculturalism and moderation”.
Meanwhile, Liew Chin Tong said Malaysians should treasure the “new beginning” achieved through the ballot box last year and giving up on this will only lead to regret.
The deputy defence minister said Malaysia was given a new lease of life at the 14th general election without shedding a single drop of blood.
“Let us treasure this new beginning and make the best out of it for all Malaysians. If we give up now, we may regret it forever,” he said in a blog post.
The DAP strategist said toppling Barisan Nasional took decades, adding that there are no short cuts to undo BN’s damage.
“It took us decades before Barisan Nasional could be brought down. It will take some time to undo the damages BN and Najib Razak had done to us. No short cut.”
Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman Anthony Loke said that PAS and UMNO would not have come together to establish a political partnership if the latter had not lost power in the first place.
He said that when UMNO was in power, PAS was constantly lamenting that they were being side-lined by the then UMNO-led ruling government, but now they seemed to have found themselves in a ‘marriage’.
“The cooperation between UMNO dan PAS is definitely a politically one, we know this and have expected that they will collaborate as this is the only way to remain relevant and strengthen their political base to challenge Pakatan Harapan.”
Elaborating, the Transport Minister said PAS supporters must come to a realisation as to why UMNO was today willing to work with them.
He added that what was important now was for PH to focus on its aspirations to unite and empower the people.
“We know about their (PAS-UMNO) slander about how PH purportedly side-lined the struggles and agendas of the Malays and how DAP is allegedly behind this, but the truth remains that the country’s top leadership comprise Malays, the institutions are led by Malays, the Malay agenda remains as it is. It is just that we want to ensure the rights of all races are protected,” he said.
He stressed that the goals and aims of PH’s struggles were to ensure all Malaysians prosper together.
Armada chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the PAS-UMNO tie-up won’t change Pakatan’s direction and struggle.
He said as a political coalition, PH’s main duty was to find the best way to serve the people.
“Just ignore the opposition and focus on PH’s performance. Don’t waste our time and energy discussing other parties’ issues.
“It is time for us to see the bigger picture, a mature politics and problem-solving service to further develop a multiracial New Malaysia,” he said in a statement jointly issued with Amanah Youth chief Mohd Sany Hamzan and Dapsy chief Howard Lee Chuan How.
Syed Saddiq said issues relating to job opportunities, quality of life for the B40 group, youth empowerment, and people’s solidarity were among PH’s priorities.
Selangor PH chairman and menteri besar Amirudin Shari expressed worry over the possible establishment of an extreme racist political movement in the country following the collaboration between PAS and UMNO.
“They will create racial politics and there will be an extreme racist political movement.
“I’m worried. Even if they have their basic (party) constitutions, I really hope they will not go to the extreme in fighting for their political causes,” Amirudin said.