It’s critical that Anwar Ibrahim and Dr Mahathir Mohamad join forces again as the opponent is even bigger, said DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong.
“We need both as there is a larger opponent of Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib Razak. With the bigger opponent, Pakatan (Harapan) needs both Anwar and Dr Mahathir,” said the former deputy defence minister at a webinar last night.
Liew, a former two-term MP, was responding to a question on whether Dr Mahathir was still relevant, given that he is 94.
On whether, Anwar and Dr Mahathir can reconcile after reports claiming that both did not want to meet one another, Liew said he is hopeful.
“I hope that we can find a way forward and recognise that both Anwar and Dr Mahathir need each other in order to proceed.
“I hope both recognise that they are not enemies.”
Both Anwar and Dr Mahathir have a long history as competitors and collaborators, he said.
“In 1969, Anwar was distributing Dr Mahathir’s letters about the state of Malays. Throughout the years, they have come together and fallen out. At this moment, we must manage differences in order to deal with the main opponent.
“There are differences, but eventually good sense will prevail when we understand what is at stake.”
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin replaced its chairman Dr Mahathir as prime minister following the latter’s resignation in late February.
Muhyiddin withdrew Bersatu from PH to form an alliance with Umno, PAS, and Sarawak’s ruling pact GPS.
Since the collapse of PH, Dr Mahathir and Anwar have not been seen in public together and both appear to have sidestepped each other at press conferences organised in the pact’s name.
Meanwhile, Liew again dispelled speculation that DAP was a “communist” party.
“Accusing someone of being communist was the easiest way to discredit them during the time of the Cold War from 1948 till the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
“In the United States, there would be with hunts if you criticised the conservatives. But what is communism? Is China a communist today with all its businesses?” said Liew.
As for DAP, Liew said the party never believed in communism as it believes in democratic elections.
“Since its founding in 1966, DAP has taken part in all the democratic struggle. It is a parliamentary party,” said Liew.
DAP is commonly labelled communist by right-wing parties, such as Umno and PAS. – TMI