Our ties with Warisan are tense, admits DAP’s Loke

 

Loke Siew Fook says Pakatan Harapan will welcome any move by Muda to join the coalition.

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s newly elected secretary-general Loke Siew Fook admitted that ties between his party and Warisan are tense at the moment.

Speaking at an online forum titled “Anthony Jawab Jujur”, Loke highlighted the recent Johor elections, where Warisan adopted a “confrontational approach” by contesting in seats that DAP had won in the last general election (GE14).

The Seremban MP hoped that the election results would have given some hints and signs to the top echelons of the party, especially its president Shafie Apdal, that when opposition parties clashed against one another, it only benefitted Barisan Nasional (BN).

“I hope Warisan will come up with more practical and realistic political strategies in the future by discussing with Pakatan Harapan, and come up with a formal or loose pact for GE15.

“They have their own strengths in Sabah. But they need to remember that DAP helped them to form the state government after GE14 as they could not form one by themselves.

“So, it is best to have an electoral pact, even if it is a loose one,” he said in the online programme moderated by Syahredzan Johan, the political secretary to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

Warisan lost in all the seats it contested in the Johor polls, with all its candidates losing their deposit as well.

Loke also spoke about certain leaders in Warisan who had taken a confrontational stance against PH.

“I don’t know their agenda, but it seems like they want to ‘langgar’ (go against) us,” he said, without mentioning any names.

Asked by Syahredzan whether Muda should join PH, Loke said it eas up to the young party to make the call.

“Whether or not Muda wants to join PH, it is up to the party’s top leadership. If they do, we will welcome them with open arms.

“If they want to cooperate with PH in any other way, including working with PH outside the coalition’s framework, we can always discuss it,” he said.

Loke also said Muda’s win in the Puteri Wangsa seat in Johor was only made possible thanks to its collaboration with PH. - FMT