KUALA LUMPUR: The suggestion by Semberong member of parliament Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for Umno and Pas to join the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government without the participation of DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) will only lead to the return of a race-based political culture and governance.
The PH Secretarial Council, in a statement, said it holds firm to the Muafakat PH, which was collectively agreed to by PKR, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Amanah and DAP to remain in the PH government, of which Parti Warisan Sabah is also a member in the cabinet.
The statement was signed by five secretaries-general of the PH component parties, including PH secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution, Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Wira Marzuki Yahya, Amanah secretary-general Datuk Wira Anuar Tahir and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
The council urged Hishammuddin and his allies to stop his campaign of espousing the idea of forming a new government without DAP and Amanah.
“Hishammuddin, in his writings and interviews, indicated favouring a return to race-based politics and administration.
“This is an outmoded form of politics that directly contradicts the inclusive politics adopted by PH.
“During this Budget season, especially the 2020 Budget, it is timely that we remind ourselves of the original objective, underlined by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in his speech in 1991 to:
“Create a Malaysia that is united, with a shared objective: Malaysia must be a peaceful nation, that is integrated among all regions and races, live in harmony, working together in fairness, and composed of a single ‘bangsa Malaysia’ which possesses political loyalty and dedication to the country,” he said.
On Jan 7, 2018, Muafakat PH underscored several core issues that were key factors for the coalition’s formation, saying that the people had rejected the Barisan Nasional government for its racial politics and for causing Malaysia to be mired in a global kleptocracy.
The council said this was the basis of the mandate given by the people in the 14th General Election, and that it could not be sacrificed for the sake of political interests.
“Any mischievous attempts to return to an era of such politics after we had effected change on May 9 last year, is a backward step which will not even warrant a footnote in the annals of history.
“Instead, it will only present an opportunity to the kleptocrats and their allies to return to power,” said the council.