KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent overture to opposition parties to contest under a single umbrella against Umno is a blatant and desperate attempt to remain in power, said Rafizi Ramli.
The PKR deputy president said the excuse given by the Pagoh MP – that the move was meant to save the country from falling to the hands of corrupted Umno – does not hold water.
This, Rafizi said, is considering the fact that the support given by Muhyiddin and PN is the reason Umno is currently in federal power, also noting that Bersatu had also previously welcomed several Umno leaders allegedly embroiled in corruption into its arms.
“It is better for Muhyiddin to express publicly that the reason PN wants to cooperate with PH is for personal interest and power, not for the country.
“We (PH) may be young, but we are not stupid,” he said in a statement today.
This follows Muhyiddin’s remark on Saturday that opposition parties should reconsider the possibility of working together in the coming election against Barisan Nasional to avoid multi-cornered fights, which could hamper their chances of winning.
Yesterday, the Bersatu president further commented that Rafizi’s apparent opposition to the idea of a collaboration was only his personal opinion, while reiterating that the proposal he offered is something the opposition should consider.
Responding to this, Rafizi said the PH presidential council has made a final decision not to hold negotiations with PN, and that any minority dissenting views do not represent the coalition.
“If Muhyiddin is confident there is another Azmin in PH, that’s his right. But any personal views will not tie with the collective decision made by the presidential council, which has already put a full stop to PN.”
Former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has been attributed as among the key individuals responsible for the collapse of the PH government in 2020.
Meanwhile, Rafizi said apart from Muhyiddin’s insincere intentions to seek cooperation with PH, his coalition will also not consider any collaboration due to PN’s poor record while in the administration.
Among others, he said Bersatu leaders who were previously with PH, including Azmin, had performed poorly in their respective roles while in power, with no significant impact seen on the public. – The Vibes, August 30, 2022
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