PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lambasted Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over his remarks yesterday (July 3) that the unity government has no choice but to adhere to DAP’s manifesto as there are 40 DAP MPs in the government.
The Tambun MP made it clear that he was the prime minister of the unity government and that he was no one’s political puppet.
“Recently, there was an argument suggesting that the unity government were bowing down to DAP,” Anwar said in his speech at a book launch in Putrajaya today (July 4).
“Ladies and gentleman, let me tell you this. I am the Prime Minister of this country and I am no one’s political puppet.
“Thank God, I am almost 76, and I can’t be bought with money. If I could be bought, I would have been swayed long ago.”
In a social media post yesterday, Dr Mahathir went on to claim that the party is holding Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ransom with its numbers.
He also alleged that while DAP has only four ministers in the Cabinet, the party has 40 MPs in the government whose support Anwar relied on.
“If DAP withdraws its support, Anwar’s government will fall.
“Therefore, Anwar has to adhere to DAP’s manifesto, especially on making Tanah Melayu a multiracial country and replacing the official religion of Islam with a secular country… (turning) Malaysia into a nation with no official religion,” he claimed.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman further said that he valued the presence, importance and contribution of the coalition’s ally in the federal government under his leadership.
However, he stressed that DAP has never questioned any programmes or allocations set aside by the federal government to improve the wellbeing and welfare of the Malays and the Muslim community in the country.
“I am not defending my colleagues from DAP in the Cabinet and the Chief Secretary to Government can attest to this.
“During the past seven months, DAP never questioned the programmes for the Malays, the poor and for Islam. Never. Therefore, I do not want to punish or blame DAP,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also took a pot shot at the former premier, saying that the nonagenarian is being provocative as he has nothing better to do in his old age.
Zahid said the former Langkawi MP’s actions are not surprising, adding that he does not want to over-react to what Dr Mahathir said as he had used similar tactics in the past to gain attention.
“I think I will leave it to the prime minister to reply but I think you know, knowing him, he will like to be provocative and I don’t intend to answer to his provocation,” Zahid told reporters at his ministry today (July 4).
When asked if he believed Dr Mahathir was deliberately inflaming racial tensions as state elections is around the corner, he said, “That’s been his thinking, you know, he uses this template to provoke others for him to continuously be alert, because at his age, I think he needs that to carry on with life.” – July 4, 2023
Main pic credit: Bernama
