(NST) – Pas has been given a one-month ultimatum to make up its mind whether to be part of the Pakatan Harapan pact in facing the next general election, or not. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said, failing which, Harapan would soldier on without Pas.
“We cannot wait any longer, we need to form the coalition as early as possible. If Pas wants to join the coalition we need to make sure that their participation will not jeopardise our chances of winning,” he told newsmen this after attending a discourse on PPBM-DAP “New political dimension and the future of Malays’ power in politics” here today.
Dr Mahathir said the matter regarding Pas participation in the coalition was also discussed during his meeting with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday. He said Anwar was also surprised of Pas’ stand on the coalition and their unwillingness to meet up to discuss about it with other opposition leaders.
Dr Mahathir admitted that attempts by PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to meet up with Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to discuss the matter has also proved futile.
“He doesn’t even want to meet up with Muhyiddin,” he said. When asked if he and Anwar had discussed on who will lead Pakatan Harapan’s campaign in the general election, Dr Mahathir said the matter was still too early to be decided.
Earlier during the discourse, Dr Mahathir continue to defend DAP against allegations that the party was an enemy of Muslims and the Malays. He said DAP is a multiracial party and upholds the Malay language as the national language far better compared to Barisan Nasional’s component party such as MCA.
“I was against DAP once and the bad image that they have been painted for, was due to me. “I had described them as a bad party and should the party take over the government, they will not take care of the Malays.
“However, my view of them changed when I sat side by side with Lim Kit Siang,” he said.
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