PORT DICKSON: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Pakatan Harapan’s strength strongly depends on unity and solidarity of its members.
As such, he said, party members should not allow themselves to be distracted and to lose focus on petty matters that had nothing to do with the country’s development and direction.
“The power entrusted by the people to us is to improve what have been damaged and correct what is wrong, no more and no less.
“We also should ask ourselves whether we will continue to get the mandate from the people if they see us continuing to fight for power, “ he said in his speech at a Retreat of the Keadilan Central Leadership here last night.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also PKR Advisory Council chairman and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Recalling PH’s success, Mahathir, who is PH chairman, said before the coalition came into power, all the party components set aside their differences, such as their feelings of vengeance, anger and hatred.
“Why could we set aside all that? (It’s all) because we realised and saw the damage that had and was being done by the leaders of our country and their colleagues. We also realised that if we did not do something to prevent them (referring to BN), the future of our country and our children and grandchildren will be destroyed.
“We meet and talk, we fight and then reconcile, we differ in opinions and we also compromise. Even if there is some feeling of dissatisfaction over some matters, we have to set aside and we go forward as a team,“ he added.
The prime minister, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman, said PH, as a member of the opposition coalition before the 14th general election, agreed to use the PKR symbol since it was not allowed to use its own party symbol by the Registrar of Societies .
He said it was possible because all parties in the coalition took it as a responsibility for every Malaysian who loved the country to act and stop the damage that was being done then.
“I am convinced that when we took that responsibility, we held to the principle if not us, who else. It is clear, the decision we made to be together in Pakatan Harapan is apt and majority of the people voted for us to ensure victory for us in GE14 and rejected BN,” he said.
Mahathir said while many people were ensure of capability then, but after winning, the opportunists began to sneak into PH with clear intention of seeking personal gains to enrich themselves and create infighting.
“Until today, we are still trying to deal with the enemies in the blanket and sometimes, their sabotage is able to bring about the collapse of our government if we cannot tackle them.
“At the same time, the losers can not accept the fact that they have been rejected by the people for robbing the people’s property and when they see our weaknesses, they will exploit as much as possible and present themselves as the people’s fighter,“ he said.
Meanwhile, he reiterated that PH did not have much time to fulfill its promises and responsibilities to the people and the country and urged all members and leaders of the PH component parties to work their level best to make life better for the people.
“This is a trust and when we are no longer in power, the people’s perception is whether we have performed the responsibility and trust that they have given us.
“Our job does not stop or end every time the general election is held. When we plan the country’s future, it must be capable of setting a direction that transcends time to ensure sustainability,“ he added. — Bernama
