JUST LIKE UMNO, BERSATU STARTS ACTING LIKE GANGSTERS: SYED SADDIQ THREATENS RONNIE LIU – YOU HAVE WEEK TO APOLOGIZE OR ELSE… – EVEN AS RONNIE EXPLAINS HE’S CRITICIZING MAHATHIR IN GOOD FAITH – AND SERIOUSLY, IS RONNIE WRONG IN HIS CRITIQUE?

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu Youth (Armada) chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has slammed Ronnie Liu over the latter’s critical remarks on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Oct 21), Syed Saddiq labelled Liu’s remarks as “rude”, and “disrespectful to the harmony within Pakatan Harapan”.

He added that Armada will give Ronnie Liu a week to apologise.

“Either that, or he must be disciplined by DAP. If not, Armada Bersatu will not hesitate to act on such a rude attack.

“If DAP does not do anything, Armada will freely attack DAP, including its top leadership,” said Syed Saddiq.

Earlier on Wednesday (Oct 23), DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said that Liu will be facing the DAP disciplinary committee over his opinion piece about the exclusion of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia from Pakatan Harapan.

“That statement is Liu’s personal opinion, and it is very uncalled for and very irresponsible.

“No one from Pakatan should ever question the unity within the coalition and no single leader from any component party should talk about the exclusion of any component of Pakatan, including DAP, ” Loke said.

In an opinion piece entitled “Mahathir: The Paper Tiger” yesterday, Liu had written that DAP, PKR, Amanah, Warisan and UPKO can band together and form a government without Bersatu.

“Bersatu may have 26 MPs now, but DAP, PKR, Amanah, Warisan and UPKO collectively have 113 seats in parliament, enough to form a majority, ” he wrote.

Liu : I love Harapan, am criticising Dr M in good faith

DAP central committee member Ronnie Liu has denied calling for Bersatu to leave the ruling coalition in his latest article published yesterday.

He denied he was sabotaging the unity of Harapan as alleged by DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke, who said Liu would be referred to party’s disciplinary committee.

“No such thing (as sabotage). I love Harapan very much. I did not say in my article to ask Bersatu to leave,” he told Malaysiakini.

“I think he might misunderstood that I asked Bersatu to leave (Harapan in my article),” he said.

Liu said he had criticised the leadership of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his article in good faith.

He said he was merely reminding Dr Mahathir not to go on his own way without sticking to the Pakatan Harapan agenda.

“I told him not to has his own way and do whatever he likes. This may lead to the destruction of the Harapan.

“Bersatu will end up as the weakest party once Harapan is dissolved and Bersatu will not have any ally,” he said.

“(As the leader of a small party), he has no political capital at all,” he added.

“My intention was good. I still support Mahathir (as the prime minister) and I never ask Bersatu to leave or (other parties) to form the government without Bersatu,” said Liu, who is also Sungai Pelek state assemblyperson.

“Which part of my article had gone overboard? I only tell Mahathir not to go against the the agenda set by the Harapan,” he said.

“Mahathir made a lot of criticism and he himself welcomed criticism. So, why is this being considered a disciplinary issue ?” he added.

In a commentary published by Malaysiakini yesterday, Liu criticised Mahathir’s performance.

He suggested that if the Bersatu chairperson tries to break up Harapan, the remaining parties comprising DAP, PKR, Amanah, Warisan and Upko can still retain the government without Bersatu.

Earlier today, Loke said disciplinary action will be taken against Liu for sabotaging the unity of Harapan.

Bersatu’s Jeram state assemblyperson Mohd Shaid Rosli said he would sit next to opposition bloc in protest against Liu in the next month’s Selangor legislative assembly sitting. – MKINI

THE STAR / MKINI