Lau to raise recycling of political narratives with PN leaders

Gerakan president Dominic Lau says some Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs are running out of narratives, a matter which he will bring up for discussion with the coalition’s leadership.

(FMT) – “PN has not yet represented all communities. Now is the best time to strategise for the next general election. Since its formation, we have yet to sit down and discuss how to align our differences. In my view, it is time to strengthen the coalition’s cohesion.

“Some MPs keep recycling the same issues. While we play a role in checks and balances, we have reached a bottleneck. It is the right time to sit down and discuss,” he said in a statement today.

Lau also said PN parties need to hold an internal forum at the grassroots level soon.

Noting that mutual respect is part of PN’s culture, he said such practices are needed to help bring about “mature politics”.

Lau also said as a relatively young political coalition, PN still has room to win the trust of more voters.

“PN has reached its maximum (level) in gaining the trust of Malay voters. This situation will either remain consistent or decline in the future, which is not enough to (win) Putrajaya,” he said.

Lau’s statement comes after an ongoing dispute between PAS and Gerakan.

The issue of funding for Chinese-medium schools was thrust into the spotlight after PAS criticised a deputy minister for receiving a RM3 million mock cheque bearing the Tiger Beer logo at a fundraiser for SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor, recently.

Lau defended the current system of fundraising, while Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong said the party would not hesitate to leave PN if its allies continued to display religious extremism and infringe on the rights of non-Muslims.

In response, PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah said the party had no objections if Gerakan were to quit PN. Meanwhile, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the Islamic party might not be able to work with Gerakan in the next general election if the latter maintained its position on the matter.

However, PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar today told Sinar Harian that the party had no plans to reconsider its cooperation with Gerakan.