Kit Siang: Race politics made its way to GE15, DAP never dominated Pakatan govt
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang today said that clearly toxic politics of race and religion has disseminated in the 15th general election (GE15) when Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had to assure people that DAP would not be in control of Pakatan Harapan if the coalition forms the next government.
“DAP was never 'dominant' in the 22-month PH government as shown by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Cabinet of 28 ministers where DAP was overshadowed in the distribution of seven PKR ministers, six Bersatu ministers, six DAP ministers, five Amanah ministers, three Warisan ministers, and one MAP Minister.
“The DAP had never aspired to have a Chinese or non-Malay prime minister, although the Malaysian constitution states very explicitly that any Malaysian can be a prime minister,” Lim said.
Lim said the accusations of DAP pushing for ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in the early months of the PH government and him proposing candidates for high office to the prime minister were false.
“But the issue of the ICERD ratification in 2018 is about truth and lies. Should political leaders be disseminating lies, untruths, and false information?
“I have been accused of the appointment of Tan Sri Tommy Thomas as attorney-general and Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as chief justice. I approve of their appointments but I have never proposed any candidate for high office to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he was prime minister in the 22 months of the PH government.
“It is a reflection of the challenges of the information age, where lies, fake news, and disinformation abound, that I was accused in non-Malay areas as a puppet of Mahathir in those 22 months of PH government, while Mahathir was accused of being my puppet in Malay circles.
“There is no truth in these lies, for both Mahathir and I are nobody’s puppet,” he said.
Yesterday, Anwar said he would take the position of prime minister if PH won the elections.
He said Malaysia’s political landscape was in need of reforms to make it respectful and accepting of all races.
He also insisted that the government's policies must be based on need rather than solely on race.
