Form unity gov't with opposition to remain in power, Umno leaders tell PM

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad should form a unity government with the opposition bloc which comprises Umno and PAS if he wants to remain in power, according to Umno leaders.

The proposal followed Pakatan Harapan's crushing defeat in last Saturday's Tanjung Piai by-election in Johor.

The Umno leaders also believe that a cabinet reshuffle would not be able to arrest the erosion of support for the 18-month-old government.

“I will support it if Tun (Mahathir) wants a strong government. He must pick those who are qualified, a unity government,” said Umno lawmaker and former minister Shahidan Kassim.

“The people do not hate ministers, but (despise) the government. This is the time to invite the opposition to be part of the (cabinet).

“Tun is a good prime minister but is surrounded by useless ministers, always criticisng the old government when it was Tun who led the old (BN) government for the longest period,” he told Malaysiakini.

Mahathir was the BN chairperson and Umno president for more than two decades until his retirement from his first stint as prime minister in 2003.

On Wednesday, Mahathir said he is considering reshuffling the cabinet following the outcome of the Tanjung Piai polls despite defending his ministers on several ocassions in the past.

The prime minister did not set a timeframe for the reshuffle but indicated that it could happen before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Kuala Lumpur in November 2019.

In the by-election, Karmaine Sardini, the candidate from Mahathir's Umno splinter party Bersatu, lost to BN's Wee Jeck Seng by more than 15,000 votes.

Annuar Musa: Choose between Umno and DAP

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa (photo) told Malaysiakini that reshuffling the cabinet would not make a difference.

In order to remain relevant, he said Mahathir must choose between Umno and DAP, arguing that DAP is the reason the Malays have rejected Harapan.

“Tun must pick between DAP and Umno. If he wants to be strong, he must be with Umno.

“From the perspective of political cooperation, the Malays would continue to reject Mahathir if he remains with DAP.

“It is possible that Bersatu would lose all its seats in the coming general election (if the current political alliance continues),” he added.

Annuar said if the reshuffle witnessed the incorporation of former BN ministers, who have switched camps to Harapan, into the cabinet, it would widen the fissures in Harapan.

“For example, you can't work magic by replacing (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng with (former Umno minister and Jeli MP) Mustapa Mohamed as finance minister,” he added.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has also repeatedly expressed support for Mahathir to serve until the end of his term. - Mkini