KOTA KINABALU – Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dismissed speculation that the party will collaborate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Dr Mahathir said he and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor did not discuss politics when the latter welcomed him at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport yesterday.
“We were only discussing developments in Sabah,” said the former prime minister, who was asked if there was any possibility that Pejuang, which is part of the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition, will work with GRS in Sabah.
Asked if there would be further discussion for political cooperation in the future, he said: “We will see what happens after the election.”
A photo of Hajiji receiving Dr Mahathir at the airport here has gone viral, sparking speculation of possible cooperation between Pejuang and GRS in the 15th general election (GE15).
Dr Mahathir, accompanied by his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, arrived here yesterday to officially launch Pejuang in Sabah and to start GTA’s election campaign.
Pejuang will be contesting 15 seats in Sabah and the Bugaya by-election.
Dr Mahathir said Pejuang’s launch in Sabah had been planned for a long time but could only be implemented yesterday due to many constraints.
“I hope Pejuang can be accepted by the people of Sabah, because it can make Sabah more progressive,” he told reporters after the launch here.
Asked about cooperation with other parties, the GTA pro-tem chairman said that a lot of evaluation needed to be done to cooperate with other parties.
“We want a party that is clean and has no problems…such as its leader still facing charges in court.”
On the offer of a deputy prime minister post to Sabah and Sarawak by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), he doubts if it is made with sincerity.
“Well, if they are sincere, then we support that, but I am afraid that it is only an election promise. And when they win they do differently.”
Dr Mahathir said GTA does not make empty promises.
“We are with Sabah…what it needs, we will implement.
“We understand about Sabah, because many of us have experience in Sabah, and we know the ways to develop the state. But there is no need for us to explain to others.”
On whether offers by political parties to Sabahans on issues like Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and 40% of revenue entitlement can be fulfilled, he said, “I don’t think they can do it…they only promise.”
“What is important is that the three coalitions – BN, PH and PN – cannot govern the country well.
“Only GTA has the capability and ideas how to repair the damage they did to the country.”
GTA, he said, also has many plans to develop the country, but at this point of time, it does not make any promises and will implement what needs to be done.
He added that such promises are only made by those fishing for votes.
To the question on the possibility of GTA working with Warisan to form the government, Dr Mahathir replied, “I don’t know…I think Warisan does not even have enough candidates. Warisan is very new and is not known in Peninsular Malaysia.”
“It is known as a Sabah party, and now in Sabah, it has lost its support. Many of its former MPs or assemblymen have left the party. So what can Warisan do? Nothing.”
GTA, he said, places a lot of importance on quality.
Its leaders are people who are not facing any legal action, and are not corrupt or bankrupt, Dr Mahathir claimed.
When asked how GTA would attract voters in Sabah without a manifesto, Dr Mahathir pointed out that it is the only clean party at the moment, as the others have problems.
“Our leaders have experience…(we) have been administrators and have built up Malaysia. “That is our offer: to turn around Malaysia so that once again it becomes an Asian Tiger.
“But we don’t spell out what an Asian Tiger is. Instead, we will show that we have ideas on how to develop the country, how to clean up corruption,” he said.
Regarding cooperation with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), he said that if the coalition wants to cooperate with GTA, it will consider the matter.
When asked about the GTA manifesto, Dr Mahathir said it would be announced soon.
“The manifesto is not a holy book…sometimes we want to do (what is in the manifesto) but we cannot implement it. Therefore, GTA will come up with a manifesto that can be implemented.
“The manifesto cannot be about abolishing tolls…we can’t abolish tolls, because the government has no money to maintain the roads. All the money is just to pay off debts.”
GTA comprises Pejuang, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) and Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman) and a coalition of non-governmental organisations that form Gagaan Bangsa. – Borneo Post Online, November 7, 2022
