Terengganu Bersatu has hit out at DAP for criticising the party and its chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad for taking in Umno MPs who quit the party.
State Bersatu chief Razali Idris, who is also a senator, questioned why DAP was so worried about Umno leaders joining Harapan through Bersatu.
“Are they worried that as more MPs join Bersatu, this will cause the Malay-Muslim voice to become stronger in Parliament?
“Bersatu will become stronger even if it doesn’t take in Umno leaders.
“But if the opportunity is open for Bersatu to increase its numbers in the Dewan Rakyat through party hopping, why should this be opportunity be closed?” Razali said in a statement today.
He further claimed that DAP was out to curtail Bersatu’s growth to maintain the balance of power in Harapan.
DAP currently has 42 parliament seats, while Bersatu now has 16 after taking in three former Umno MPs.
The prospect of former Umno leaders joining Bersatu has courted flak from within the Pakatan Harapan coalition, particularly from DAP.
Following the mass exodus of Sabah Umno leaders on Wednesday, DAP lawmaker Lim Lip Eng tweeted that “it is raining frogs in the land below the wind” and stressed that party hopping cannot be condoned.
Another DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh said accepting the former Umno leaders into Harapan’s fold would be a betrayal of the people’s trust.
Similarly, Selangor DAP secretary Ronnie Liu reminded Mahathir that he had once called Umno leaders rubbish, and as such should not be welcoming them into Bersatu.
Razali said calling Umno defectors rubbish was unfair, and that times have changed.
“Yes before the 14th general election those who left their parties, including Umno were called frogs, but the political climate and interests after the election have changed,” he said.
MKINI
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