PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has denied that there is any attempt for his party to work with Umno.
He said he believes the most likely configuration for Pakatan Harapan to form a government, post-election, would involve coalitions from Sabah and Sarawak.
This comes after Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) information chief Mahdzir Ibrahim yesterday questioned whether the absence of attacks between PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi leading up to the 15th general election (GE15) hints at a possible pact.
“No (pact) whatsoever. I think it is quite a cheapskate attempt, almost devoid of any issue, going into this election, for GTA to try to create this perception that PKR is trying to work with Zahid.
“PKR and Harapan supporters can take comfort in that I don’t take things lying down. If it happens, I’ll be the first one to say it, if there is any arrangement with Umno or anything,” Rafizi said in a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Selangor today.
As PKR’s election director for GE15, Rafizi said he has been asked many times about the formation of a new government.
He said Harapan has a fairly straightforward position on this matter, in that they believe they can become the biggest bloc in Parliament after GE15.
Based on voter data, Rafizi said the coalition may be able to garner around 90 seats and even inch towards 100 seats, as long as they can maintain the current momentum.
“Harapan as the largest bloc (in Parliament) has the right to form a coalition govt with parties from Sabah and Sarawak.
“The choice then is for the Sabah and Sarawak coalitions, either GRS (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah) or GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) to consider what is in their best interest to form the government with which coalition.
“I think, when the time comes, common sense will prevail on the part of Sabah and Sarawak.
“That’s why I am not interested in talking about GTA, BN or PN (Perikatan Nasional),” Rafizi said.
Return to unstable govt?
If Sabah and Sarawak parties want to form the federal government without Harapan, he said, they would have to include both BN and PN, two coalitions seen to be at loggerheads with one another.
In that case, Rafizi said, they would have cobbled together a “very fractured coalition” that is against the people’s mandate, and it would also be a return to the current situation of an unstable government.
Yesterday, GTA’s Mahdzir said Anwar has been targeting Dr Mahathir Mohamad more, compared to Umno and Zahid, in the run-up to GE15.
Similarly, he said Umno is also seen to be attacking PN and Mahathir more, compared to Harapan.
Mahdzir then implied that Harapan and Umno could form a partnership to establish the next federal government. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.