DAP working with Umno? Anything is possible, says Loke

 

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook says what is important (in politics) is that all parties must be agenda-based.

PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook says he will not rule out a collaboration with Umno as “anything is possible in politics”. However, any collaboration, if at all, would only happen after the next general election.

Loke said Malaysian politics had undergone drastic changes since the 2018 general election, particularly the absence of a single dominant party. Collaboration between different parties was now more likely.

In recent times, DAP and its Pakatan Harapan (PH) partners PKR and Amanah have cooperated with Umno and its leaders on matters such as the ousting of Bersatu’s Ahmad Faizal Azumu as Perak menteri besar, and the memorandum of understanding between the opposition coalition and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“I will not rule out anything because what is important is that we (all parties) must be agenda based,” he said in an interview with FMT.

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“As far as DAP is concerned, we want to strengthen PH, we want to push for reforms. Good governance is our main agenda and we also want to see more integrity in our government as well as a fight against corruption.”

He said DAP was open to working with any party pursuing these same agendas.

Anwar as PM candidate

On DAP’s stand on the prime minister candidate, Loke said the party was firmly behind Anwar though he did not rule out the need for compromise if no party had a clear majority after the next general election (GE15).

“Of course, the position right now is that Anwar as the leader of PH, is the natural choice but, I think that (the PM candidate) depends very much on the outcome of the next election. If PH can win with a clear-cut majority then naturally he (Anwar) will be the PM,” he said.

Last month, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pejuang closed the door on discussions with PH and Perikatan Nasional, citing the inability to work with their respective leaders, Anwar and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Guan Eng’s trial and DAP

Asked whether the trial of DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng on corruption charges would affect the party’s chances at GE15, Loke said he did not believe it would. “We do not think that that particular case will damage the party’s image.”

Loke said the party trusts Lim and is confident of Lim’s integrity. He added he believed that the case against Lim was a political conspiracy to end his career.

“So we are defending him and the party’s lawyers are doing all they can to defend him in court, so let the court process take place.”

Lim is accused of using his position as Penang chief minister to ask a businessman for a 10% cut of the profits from the state government’s proposed undersea tunnel project and of accepting RM3.3 million in kickbacks from the businessman.

He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land for the benefit of two companies. - FMT