It is time to move on from previous political enmities, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke in response to calls for the party to apologise to Umno.
Loke said he agrees with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s policy speech earlier, in which the Umno president said former enemies should set aside their past differences and unite to ensure the stability of the new government.
“I agree with the Umno president’s speech that we have to forget about the past and unite for the sake of the country.
“For me, we should move on from whatever political enmity or feud all this while.
“We have already formed a government together for six months and the government is doing well,” Loke said to reporters after attending the launch of the Umno annual general assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.
He was asked to respond to newly-elected Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh who called on DAP to issue a public apology to Umno over condemnations made when the parties were foes.
Both DAP and Umno have already sat in the same cabinet for more than six months and the administration is functioning well, he reiterated.
“So far, there have been no issues with incompatibility with the parties in the unity government and we should continue carving our path forward.
“I feel if we keep politicking with old stories, it will never end.
“I feel all parties have shown their commitment to stick together,” he said.
Looking forward, Loke said the parties should focus on upcoming challenges such as the six state polls, development and the economic state of the country.
Earlier today in Zahid’s speech, he said he hopes the collaboration formed in the coalition government will help cast away doubts among its component parties.
As such, he urged all parties allied to the government to be careful with their words and conduct.
“My hope is the cooperation between us (government parties) will cast away doubts among us. Let there not be statements that can hurt each other anymore.
“I urge our friends to not meddle with the feelings of the Malays. The same goes to us; we should avoid uttering words or doing things that can make our friends restless,” the deputy prime minister told Umno delegates in his policy speech at the party’s annual general assembly.
The assembly was also attended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In the same speech, Zahid also assured that Umno is not a party that would abandon its original struggles for political expediency.
Although Umno is now working with a party that it once considered a rival (DAP), it would still hold on tight to its principles, he added.
Explaining Umno’s collaboration with Pakatan Harapan in the coalition government, Zahid stressed that it was done due to “political adjustments” based on the current reality.
“Our political allies have never tried to challenge the special rights of Islam, the Malays and the bumiputera,” he said. – Malaysiakini