Dr M: Harapan must stay clean if it wants to win GE15

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Pakatan Harapan can win a second term in the 15th general election (GE15) if it stays clean and not fall for corruption.

The Harapan chairperson said all component parties in the ruling coalition, as well as its ally Parti Warisan Sabah, were chosen by the people in GE14 to be the government because of their stand against corruption.

“Don’t get involved in forbidden things, take bribes from anyone because these are not allowed under the nation’s laws.

“If we continue to remain clean and are seen as an administration that is not dirty, polluted by greed, then we will continue to remain in power.

“When GE15 comes where Harapan will no longer be led by me, we will still win if we are clean, but if we are dirty, corrupt, it will not matter who is the leader, we will be defeated,” Mahathir said at the coalition’s Charity Dinner 2018 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre last night.

He said donations and bids at the Harapan charity dinner came with no strings attached.

According to him, the government held the dinner because it did not want to collect money through corrupt means.

“To those who made donations or bought tables, I am sorry to say there will be no special privileges for you, If you want something from the government, the way is to compete through the tender process which is open to all.

“Anyone who offers bribes, I am sorry to say you will have to face the law. Where the Harapan government is concerned, ‘cash is not king’,” Mahathir said.

The dinner netted a total of RM2.885 million via sale of tables (RM1.665 million) and bids for pictures of Harapan’s leaders (RM1.22 million).

Mahathir also said that he was confident that the people would see better days next year when the economy recovers.

Currently, they had yet to enjoy the fruits of the recovery efforts, he said.

Thus, he urged Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng to be generous and help the poor with whatever money the government had now.

“There is no provision in the law to extend assistance. We (the government) also do not have much money, but with what we have , we will help (those who need help) because we cannot wait for the recovery process,” he said.

Mahathir said the Harapan government paid heed to the voice of the people and if demands were made peacefully, the government would consider their views seriously and try its best to help them.

- Bernama