PETALING JAYA: DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang today retorted that it is Barisan Nasional (BN) which is suffering from ‘political gangrene’ and not Pakatan Harapan (PH), as alleged by Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi yesterday.
“Political gangrene”? Who suffers from it?
“If not Umno and Barisan Nasional, why were they booted out of power in the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9, 2018, although the prime minister and Umno/BN president had expected not only to regain the mandate to govern but to recapture two-thirds parliamentary support?
“If not for political gangrene, why was there not a single Cabinet minister or BN leader who had expected to lose power in GE14?” he asked.
The Iskandar Puteri MP said that Zahid’s comments provided PH with some light-hearted moment following a difficult period.
“It had been a bad month for Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya, as the combination of issues – a gay sex video, introduction of khat in primary schools, Zakir Naik and Lynas – gave the impression that the PH government is on the ropes.
“However, PH leaders must recognise the disappointment and disillusionment of large segments of PH supporters who had voted for the historic change of government in GE14 last year, and now believe that the PH government has gone back to the bad old ways of the previous BN government.
“They are wrong, but what is more important is that PH must be able to communicate and convince its supporters that their disappointment and disillusionment while understandable are completely misplaced and that PH remains as committed as ever in resetting the nation-building process to build a New Malaysia to become a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity,“ he said.
Lim said evidence of PH’s commitment to reform can be seen through “several good and important appointments to pave the way for far-reaching institutional, political and democratic reforms for a New Malaysia”.
The important names Lim mentioned, included, Chief Justice, Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Election Commission Chairman, Azhar Azizan Harun, and Inspector General of Police, Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador alongside nine other key appointees.
“For a start, we must be aware of the pitfalls of the Internet era, where fake news and hate speech can combine to create a ‘new reality’ which is completely opposite to the truth and facts.
“This is why after five weeks of controversy over Jawi in Chinese and Tamil Primary schools, 95% of Chinese and Indian Malaysians are still not aware that for years, Jawi has been there for Standard Five students in the Bahasa Malaysia textbook, and that the revised curriculum to introduce Jawi in Standard Four in September 2015 was decided by BN which included MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and Umno Ministers.
“Now, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and SUPP leaders are the loudest in condemning the introduction of Jawi in Chinese and Tamil primary schools, although this decision was taken by their Ministers four years ago in 2015, to be implemented yearly in the revised textbooks from 2017 – 2022,“ he added.
Zahid, at MIC’s 73rd General Assembly yesterday remarked that the internal fighting in PH will be the ‘political gangrene’ that spells the end for the government.
“Day by day we are served with Harapan’s political drama, as it attempts to create an image in people’s minds that it is relevant to their current needs.
“This situation is a new phenomenon in Harapan’s existence, that is political gangrene,“ he said.
