Dr M: I won't kiss the feet of PAS leaders

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (Bersatu) one-month ultimatum for PAS to forge an electoral pact was firm, said the party's chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"We have tried to resolve (the deadlock). We have been very patient. We did not say anything bad about PAS. We have done everything possible, what else can we do?

"I don't want to crawl and kiss the feet of PAS leaders," Mahathir told reporters in Putrajaya today.

"We will give them one month, even they said one month is not necessary. We are very generous people."

Mahathir issued the ultimatum, starting from Feb 11, although talks between between Bersatu and PAS are supposed to be ongoing. The first meeting between the leadership of the two parties was held on Feb 1.

Following the ultimatum, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said his party will not cooperate with Bersatu as long as they are allied with DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).

In response to this, Mahathir said he expected PAS to perform worse during the next general election if it refuses to cooperate with any political party.

"(Thus), it is up to them to see if they are the bigger loser or not. At the federal level, they never succeeded even winning a quarter of the (parliamentarian) seats," he said at a press conference today at Putrajaya.

He said Bersatu could not forgo working with DAP because the party currently holds 36 seats in the Dewan Rakyat while PAS has less than twenty.

'Not anti-China'

At the press conference, Mahathir said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had failed to secure an appointment with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Muhyiddin, who attended the press conference, said Bersatu will not push for another meeting with Abdul Hadi.

"(PAS and Bersatu leaders) have met (informally) for months, I think he (Hadi) knows about that. There is no need to push for (the meeting with him), it is up to him if he is ready to meet us," said Muhyiddin.

Earlier today, Bersatu has issued 128 appointment letters to the newly appointed pro-tem division chiefs.

Mahathir will lead the Langkawi pro-tem division while Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is the Pagoh division chief.

Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir lead Jerlun pro-tem division while the party secretary-general Shahruddin Salleh will head Muar pro-tem division chief.

Former Election Commission (EC) chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman was appointed as Kota Bharu pro-tem division chief.

Meanwhile, Mahathir clarified that he harboured no ill will against Chinese nationals whom he said were purchasing property in Forest City, Johor.

"It is not xenophobia at all," he said, adding no countries in the world will accept mass influx of foreigners.

"This is the general practice of all the countries in the world, even China. But I know that people are trying to make me sound anti-Chinese."- Mkini