PETALING JAYA: Speculations of a new Malay-based government dubbed the “Pakatan Nasional” are merely conspiracy theories being played up by the opposition to put an end to Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) reign as the ruling administration.
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said this is just the latest attempt by the opposite bench to see the disintegration of PH, after several previous efforts had either failed or are bound to fail.
The Iskandar Puteri MP said this included exploiting the social media by polarising the nation with the politics of race, religion, fake news and hate speech.
“This is aided by the shameful ‘Bossku’ phenomenon and the new Muafakat Nasional coalition with PAS, resulting in a series of by-election victories, which appear to convey the message that ruling coalition was going to be at best a one-term government.
“But this new lease of political life could prove to be ephemeral and misplaced if PH restored public support and confidence with the delivery of its election promises.
“Hence the need to speed up the disintegration of PH. These are among the reasons for the latest spate of conspiracy theories ... including to form a new federal government and the proposed confidence motion for Tun Dr Manathir Mohamad as prime minister,” he said in a statement today.
PAS had openly said the party would table a vote of confidence in Mahathir’s leadership the in Dewan Rakyat when it convenes next month.
Speculations have also been rife that a new coalition — led by Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), Umno and PAS — would be formed under the Pakatan Nasional banner in a bid to take over federal power.
Commenting further, Lim said it was totally unprecedented in the country’s history of a coalition founded upon the concept of a one-race government, which he said goes against the principles of a plural society of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.
“The advocates of a basically one-race government are tinkering with the future of Malaysia, rejecting the dream of decades of Malaysian prime ministers, including Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Hussein Onn,” he said.
