Muhyiddin a ‘hypocrite’, he once supported DAP too, says Santiago

 

Charles Santiago said Muhyiddin Yassin was possibly ‘experiencing a lapse in memory’.

PETALING JAYA: Charles Santiago has labelled Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin a “hypocrite” for criticising an Umno leader’s call for party members to vote for DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections.

Santiago, who is DAP’s former Klang MP, said Muhyiddin was possibly “experiencing a lapse in memory” when he described Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan’s call for party members to support DAP as “strange”.

“He (Muhyiddin) is a hypocrite. When he was with Bersatu, he came to Klang and urged Bersatu supporters to vote for Pakatan Harapan (candidates). Bersatu was part of our coalition at that time,” said Santiago.

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Santiago told FMT that there was a need to build up confidence among the grassroots of DAP and Umno to change the negative perceptions they held about each other.

He added that mutual support from both parties “won’t be easy”.

“It’s a generational issue; they have fought and argued with each other.

“That’s why ‘confidence building’ on the ground is necessary. I don’t believe this can be accomplished in just two to three months,” he said.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin, who was formerly an Umno member for 40 years, claimed that it was the first time he had heard Umno members being encouraged by their leaders to support DAP.

He said it was an “awkward instruction” from a top leader in Umno.

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Ahmad had responded that Muhyiddin was “incorrect” to make such comments as the former prime minister had supported and aligned himself with DAP during the 14th general election.

“Progressive politics has changed our perspective on DAP,” he said.

Ahmad added that Umno was willing to support their former rival because DAP’s 50th-anniversary declaration aligns with Umno’s principles in defending the rights of Bumiputeras, specifically on “Islam, Raja, Melayu, Bahasa”.

Ong Kian Ming, the former DAP MP for Bangi, said it was a given that Umno and DAP would call upon their supporters to vote for each other’s candidates in the state polls as both are now in the unity government.

However, he said Umno and DAP must also demonstrate to voters how their collaboration will benefit the nation in terms of governance, rather than solely relying on the large share of votes both parties have. - FMT