DAP denies Pakatan Harapan prematurely launched
(Malay Mail Online) – DAP today described rumblings that the new Pakatan Harapan pact was rashly launched before fundamental agreements were in place as attempts to undermine the new opposition alliance.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (pic) came despite complaints coming from participants at a roundtable meeting organised by PKR yesterday to discuss a new opposition pact, where the unexpected announcement of Pakatan Harapan caught many by surprise.
“Who said it was done in a hasty manner? We don’t want to respond to such speculations, these are attempts to subvert and undermine the new coalition on the first day it’s formed,” Lim said in a press conference at his office today.
This morning, Malay Mail Online reported a senior PKR leader as saying “they’ve jumped the gun, with a hasty announcement”.
Some leaders also felt the parties involved should first firm up the new pact’s framework and policies, and most significantly, its relationship with PAS before launching it.
They raised concerns on the need to ensure that Pakatan Harapan will not turn out to be another Pakatan Rakyat (PR), which fell apart earlier this year following months of friction and disagreements among its components.
Lim insisted that Pakatan Harapan will be different and that all the three parties are cooperating on a platform based on mutual trust, sincerity, championing justice and democracy and against corruption.
“This new pact has a stronger platform and we are confident that it can remain united to save Malaysia,” he said.
Lim earlier announced that Penang is now a Pakatan Harapan state government.
As for the sole PAS state assemblyman in the state, Lim said the state is always open to all who are focused on serving the people and supports the state government.
“He may be a PAS member but if his heart is with Pakatan Harapan, he will still be under the Pakatan Harapan state government,” he said.
There are 40 state seats in Penang with DAP holding 19, PKR 10, PAS 1 and the remaining 10 under Barisan Nasional.
Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, who was also present, said it is customary to launch the new coalition first before setting up the presidential council and finalising the framework and policies.
He added that they need to move fast since the general election may be called anytime and they have to be ready to face it.
He also denied that the launch of the new pact was a hasty decision, insisting that this was how it was done.
As for the progress of Amanah’s registration as a new political party, Mohamad said the Registrar of Societies assured him that it would be settled as soon as possible.
