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Report: DAP will not follow Anwar if he strays from Pakatan, says Guan Eng

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng speaks at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on September 1, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng speaks at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on September 1, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — In a report by Malaysiakini today, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said his party would not support Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim if the latter moved away from Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) principles.

Lim said that for now, DAP would lend a hand to PH, but was wary of the possibility of Anwar wanting to work together with Umno to overthrow the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

“Anwar knows he needs DAP and Amanah to succeed. Just as we in DAP need PKR and Amanah. But if he does something out of Harapan’s framework, DAP will not follow. We believe Amanah will do the same,” he was quoted saying.

Lim said that DAP does not make individual decisions and would go along with what is decided by PH.

He said any reconsideration would be raised at the PH meeting, which he indicated would happen after current restrictions on movement to prevent the spread of the coronavirus are lifted in the Klang Valley.

He also said that relying on Umno was not viable, and cooperating with the Malay party would make DAP no different than “those who jumped ship to form a backdoor government”.

“It is necessary to go back to our fundamental principles and restore the mandate of GE14 based on 109 MPs. We cannot rely on parties rejected by the people.

“This type of relationship, based on those willing to trade principles, won’t last very long. I said many times and will repeat: traitors die a thousand miserable deaths alone. Because they have nothing to trade except their naked pursuit for power,” he was quoted as saying.

He said that if Anwar insists on working with Umno, then the other PH parties will have to hold discussions again.

“We need to work this out within the Harapan framework. We must not stray too far from this,” he said.

Lim also said that DAP’s position has been repeatedly misrepresented by various “parties” such as government-linked media organisations, including Chinese vernacular newspapers.

He stressed that he has never met any Umno leader to overthrow PN.

“DAP never contended for the post of PM. It was always Anwar under Pakatan Harapan. If he could not get the numbers, then it was former Sabah Chief Minister and Warisan chief Shafie Apdal,” he said.

Two weeks ago, Anwar had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after claiming he had enough support from Dewan Rakyat lawmakers, including Umno MPs, to form a new government.

This has caused a series of events and responses from both sides of the political divide, causing a giant stir in the country’s political arena.

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