Entertaining crossovers will disillusion the people, MP warns

(FMT) – Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh today hit out at news that a group of Umno representatives had switched allegiance to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, questioning how such crossovers would reflect on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) commitment to reform and change.

In a statement, he said the MPs were part of the system that PH had promised to change.

“In order to do so, we have to first clear the decks, and allowing them into PH would be the complete opposite of this.”

Noting that the people had voted on May 9 to remove Barisan Nasional (BN) from power, he said accepting the MPs into PH would be a betrayal of voters who wanted real change, “not merely a cosmetic one where many old faces are part of the new government”.

Yesterday, 36 elected representatives, senators and division heads in Sabah announced that they were leaving Umno, citing a lack of clear political direction.

They said although the group was party-less for now, it pledged full support for the PH government led by Mahathir.

However, Ramkarpal said their reason for quitting Umno was “laughable” as only eight months ago, Umno was “their one and only direction”.

“The more PH entertains these crossovers, the more disillusioned the people will become with PH,” he warned.

“Change does not only mean prosecuting the former prime minister and his deputy for alleged offences on their part but more importantly, the dismantling of policies and eradication of corruption that became rampant under decades of Umno rule.

“PH does not need these former Umno representatives. It needs more men and women of principles to further its noble agenda of reform.”