Gerakan: With U-turn on Dr M, how can Malaysians trust DAP?

(MMO) – Gerakan questioned today the DAP’s trustworthiness for embracing Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad whom the party had criticised for over two decades.

Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng highlighted various scandals during Dr Mahathir’s administration as alleged by the DAP, such as the Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF) financial scandal, Perwaja Steel, Maminco, independent power producer (IPP) cronies, RM30 billion in forex losses, the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, Ops Lalang, the judiciary crisis and the economic meltdown of 1985 and 1998.

“I was shocked to read that DAP now says Tun Dr Mahathir had never resorted to ‘racist dirty tactics’ in his 22 years as the prime minister and has now praised him as having managed the country and economy well for 22 years.

“It is as if the numerous ‘scandals’ and mismanagement that DAP had alleged and criticised Mahathir for over 22 years had never happened,” said Liang in a statement.

He also said Dr Mahathir had repeatedly branded DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang a racist and attacked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for “being too nice to the Chinese” during the 13th general election when Barisan Nasional (BN) lost ethnic Chinese support.

“Just because Tun Dr Mahathir is now in alliance with them, the DAP assumes that all Malaysians now have collective amnesia for 22 years,” said Liang.

“If DAP can suddenly change their stand for an entire 22-year period of history just like this, why should Malaysians trust what DAP says now or in future? Either DAP has no principles and has the spine of a jellyfish or they had misled Malaysians for 22 years. Either way, the DAP must apologize to all Malaysians,” the Simpang Renggam MP added.

Dr Mahathir made a historic appearance at the DAP’s annual convention last Sunday.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said then that there were no permanent friends or enemies, only “permanent principles”.