Tun Mahathir raked over coals for latest DAP-related U-turn
KUALA LUMPUR: In a desperate attempt to garner Chinese support in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14), former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has made another about-turn.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said while Tun Mahathir had, since 1969, openly condemned the DAP, his support for the party now shows that he realises he cannot make it without Chinese votes.
“It is most ironic that last night, in his speech in Gelang Patah, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad did a complete U-turn from his May 2013 stance.
“In 2013, Tun Mahathir called Lim Kit Siang a racist, and asked that he be ‘buried’ in Gelang Patah,” Salleh wrote in his blog today.
The Umno supreme council member pointed out that for more than 44 years, Tun Mahathir had been consistent in slamming the DAP and its Chinese supporters.
According to Salleh, in 1969, Mahathir had said that he did not need Chinese votes to win the election, as he could win it based on Malay votes alone.
“Soon after the 2013 general election, Mahathir attacked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for ‘wasting time’ on Chinese voters who would never vote for Barisan Nasional anyway, instead of focusing just on Malay voters who are the backbone of the support for Umno,” Salleh wrote.
However, last night, during a ceramah at Gelang Patah, Tun Mahathir said that the DAP is not a chauvinistic party, but in fact a multiracial party that is open to all races.
He also claimed that the DAP is “much more Malaysian” than any other party, which is why he feels comfortable working with his once-arch nemesis, DAP Adviser Lim Kit Siang, who is also the Gelang Patah Member of Parliament.
Following the remarks, Salleh questioned Tun Mahathir on his sudden and drastic U-turn “after more than 44 years of hating DAP.”
“We can only assume that in his desperation, Mahathir is scraping the bottom of the barrel because he realises that unless his party and Pakatan Harapan can get Chinese support, they are going to get wiped out in the next general election because they have already lost the support of the Malay electorate,” Salleh added.