Kit Siang: No one’s rejected unity govt proposal, but it must be built on Pakatan’s GE14 manifesto

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang today suggested a reconciliation between the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s proposal of a unity government to save Malaysia and end the current political impasse.

The Iskandar Puteri MP said it would be foolish and short-sighted to form a unity government to reform the country by destroying PH altogether, noting that Malaysians gave the coalition the mandate to rule based on its Buku Harapan manifesto dated March 8, 2018 and which was summed up in the foreword written by Dr Mahathir as its then chairman.

“Nobody rejects the idea of a national unity government. The first task is to restore the PH government. This is the immediate challenge for Malaysia,” Lim said in a statement.

He stressed that the manifesto contained the policies and action plan “to rebuild the nation and to fulfil the hope of the people” and should be maintained by the next government.

Lim also suggested Malaysians are likely to be sceptical that the 42 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs and 18 PAS MPs will back PH’s GE14 manifesto, noting the trials of top Umno leaders notably Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is ongoing.

“The silence and failure to provide answer to this question is an eloquent statement by itself,” he said.

Lim insisted that a national unity government cannot be established on treachery, deceit, corruption, betrayal of the people’s mandate or by promoting national disunity

“Although the idea of a national unity government is attractive and should be considered by all rational Malaysians, one thing is clear: No national unity government can be established on treachery, deceit, corruption, betrayal of the people’s mandate or by promoting national disunity.”

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir proposed a non-partisan government after his party, Bersatu, pulled out of PH.

The 94-year-old was appointed interim prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after resigning from the same office Monday.

Prior to this, DAP has spoken against this idea, and has explained that PH had decided against backing Dr Mahathir’s unity government idea as it would result in him unilaterally choosing Cabinet members without consulting PH parties and that it would effectively be a “Mahathir government”.

Political observers have also warned that this could lead to risks of abuse of power and dictatorship tendencies.

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