JOHOR BARU – Perikatan Nasional (PN) is not the one in a “marriage of convenience” and remains strong unlike Barisan Nasional (BN), which has lost many of its component parties, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
PN, which his party Bersatu and PAS are in together, will not break up as BN did after the last general election in 2018, the PN chairman said at a press conference here today.
“BN had a contract marriage. And now all (the parties in BN) have quit the coalition.
“BN is the one that has broken up, from 14 component parties, it is now left with three.”
Muhyiddin was responding to Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid who said that Bersatu and PAS’ collaboration was only temporary. For the record, BN now comprises four parties, namely Umno, MCA, MIC and PBRS.
Muhyiddin, however, said PAS and Bersatu are key components in PN and are committed to the coalition.
“Don’t make baseless allegations. PAS was one of the PN founders before Gerakan and other parties joined in.
“So, this is not a contract marriage. He (Mahdzir) is saying that because we’re growing stronger.”
After losing federal power in 2018, BN lost component parties such as Gerakan, Upko and other Sarawak and Sabah-based parties.
BN’s linchpin party Umno then formed a pact with PAS called Muafakat Nasional. This pact, however, is now defunct as PAS is allied with Bersatu, while BN has rejected any cooperation with Muhyiddin’s party.
Muhyiddin also attacked Pakatan Harapan (PH) prime minister candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, calling him the “biggest liar” for saying that PN is the richest coalition in Malaysia.
“Where’s the proof? If we want to compare PH’s bank account with PN’s, I can show it. Can Anwar show PH’s bank account?” said Muhyiddin.
He added that as a new coalition, PN did not have many resources and relied on a few individuals who helped it.
Yesterday, Anwar said that PN had benefited from its time in the government during Muhyiddin’s 17 months as prime minister after PH was ousted from Putrajaya.
Among the contracts that were given to PN, alleged Anwar, was the RM18 billion Digital Nasional Berhad contract.
Muhyiddin had earlier accompanied PN’s Johor Baru candidate Mohd Mohtaj Yacob for a meet and greet programme at Gerai Makan Taman Sri Stulang with some 100 party workers from the surrounding area. – The Vibes, November 15, 2022
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