GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Harapan appeared to be stuck in the past when it named Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the pact's prime minister candidate and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as his deputy.
Penang State Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman said the announcement, made today at the Pakatan Harapan convention today, also resembled the cabinet lineup 22 years ago.
He said in 1995, Dr Mahathir was the prime minister and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was his deputy.
“Today, he will retain the PM position while Anwar’s proxy, Wan Azizah will be made his deputy.
“Is this the party they call ‘harapan’ (hope)? I do not think so. They are stuck in history and it seems they have no intention to move forward.
“(Also) Where is Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (in all this)? This is like a slap to his (Muhyiddin) face,” he added.
The announcement of the pact’s nominees was made Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah during its convention earlier this evening.
Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Oh Tong Keong also ridiculed the move, asking: “Is this Pakatan Harapan or Pakatan Keluarga (family)?
“So after Anwar and Wan Azizah, then who? Anyone of their children to succeed them?
“Their lack of options for candidates clearly shows that the party has no future. They act as if this is their family business, not a political party to serve the people,” he said.
Oh also labelled Pakatan Harapan as a recycling party as they are willing to ‘recycle’ a former prime minister.
The pact had stated that Mahathir will only be an interim prime minister and Anwar will replace him, once he is released from prison.
Oh also took to stating that Muhyiddin is just a puppet for the pact and that he was never considered for any of the top post in the pact’s shadow cabinet, “as if he has no significant role in the party”.
Meanwhile, Zainal warned Pakatan Harapan to reconsider the plan to make Anwar the prime minister once he is released on June 8.
“Are they really serious about this? They want to make a man who is convicted for a sexual offence as prime minister?
“This will only bring shame to our country,” he said.