A DAP lawmaker has dismissed speculation that Pakatan Harapan is in danger of collapsing, amid a deadline the party has set for reforms to be implemented.
Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said even if failure to meet the deadline leads to DAP quitting the cabinet, the party will remain a component of Harapan.
“Institutional reforms are not DAP’s agenda alone. It has been Harapan’s agenda since before. Intensifying efforts to continue institutional reforms in the year to come is a step towards going back to basics.
“Many may have forgotten, the three core Harapan parties, DAP, PKR, and Amanah, are not new friends. Yes, there are disputes, arguments, criticisms and even attacks between us.
“But we remain together and will continue being together,” he said.
Sabah polls annihilation
At the end of November, Harapan suffered a massive defeat in the Sabah election, with PKR winning just one seat courtesy of a parachute candidate, and DAP being wiped out.
This led DAP to issue a six-month deadline for reforms to be implemented.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said that if the deadline is not met, the party will “reconsider” its position in the government but will continue propping up Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister. This may mean that the party will quit the cabinet.
Setting the deadline has also made DAP more vocal, with leaders such as Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo voicing stern criticism over perceived injustices.
Despite all this, Syahredzan said that ties within Harapan remain cordial, citing his experience at a Harapan presidential council meeting last night.
“I can confirm that the meeting went smoothly and calmly, with the spirit of unity and determination to do our best.
“There were no arguments, shouting, and certainly no threats,” he said,
He said Harapan spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil’s remarks after the meeting also showed how the coalition is of the same opinion in heeding the outcome of the Sabah polls and jointly pursuing reforms.
Fahmi said in a brief statement last night that the Harapan leadership had decided on several unspecified reforms which they would intensify efforts on in the near future.
Not all may be well
While Syahredzan painted a rosy picture of Harapan’s internal ties, and even said that they would continue to champion Anwar as prime minister for a second term, this may not reflect public sentiment towards the coalition.
One of the issues being pursued by DAP - recognition for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) - has already begun to stir racial sentiments and may be a point of division.
Anwar has been struggling to gain Malay support, particularly from conservatives, and the pushback against DAP over the UEC will likely weigh on his decision on whether to give the green light.
At the same time, non-Malay support for Anwar and Pakatan Harapan is also on the decline, as shown by DAP and PKR’s abysmal performance in the Sabah election.
Non-Malays are a key demographic for Harapan, and the coalition will fare badly in upcoming polls without their support. - Mkini
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