KUALA LUMPUR – It was a historic moment in Malaysian politics as two unlikely bedfellows – Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) – fresh from striking an agreement to form a unity government, campaigned together for an election in Pahang last night.
In what would have been inconceivable just a month ago, the red of PH and blue of BN came together at a ceramah in the Tioman state constituency – an event that some of their leaders described as momentous and of great significance.
Following a rivalry that has spanned decades, this was the first time that the two foes have shared the same election campaign stage. It was a sight to behold as PH politicians advocated the BN candidate, Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Hussain, to voters.
Among the top party leaders who graced the event yesterday were Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, and Pahang BN chairman and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Aptly enough, the contents of their speeches had a common theme to them – the importance of unity for the sake of the “rakyat” (people) and how their cooperation spells a new era for Malaysia.
Addressing the crowd, Mohamad, or more popularly known as Mat Sabu, began his speech by recalling Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s swearing in as prime minister last Thursday when he shared the same table with Umno leaders after the ceremony.
“I was eating at the same table with (Umno president) Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and (deputy president) Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan,” he recounted.
“They said to me, ‘we want to hear how you will deliver a ceramah in front of Umno after over forty years of attacking us’. I responded by saying: ‘Where do I begin?’”
Mohamad then went on to say that in politics it is not impossible for the players to switch friends as long as they remain faithful to their goal and struggle. He stressed that the cooperation between PH and BN in Tioman will usher in a new political era.
“Tonight is a new chapter in Malaysian politics. Our cooperation is still at the negotiation stage. Our teams are still discussing, among others, what to name our alliance. But what’s important now is to ensure BN’s candidate wins in the Tioman state seat.
“This is the start of a cooperation to build a new Malaysia, for the sake of the rakyat,” he said.
Later, when met by the press, Mohamad admitted to feeling nervous about being surrounded by Umno leaders on the same stage for the first time in his political career.
On Tuesday, Amanah secretary-general Datuk Mohd Hatta Md Ramli had announced the PH component’s decision to withdraw its candidate, Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly, from contesting in Tioman in respect for the newly formed Pahang government comprising both BN and PH.
This follows an earlier agreement at the federal level for the two coalitions to cooperate in the formation of a unity government led by PH chairman Anwar.
Unlike PH, PN made too many demands, not sincere
In his speech, Wan Rosdy noted how following the conclusion of the general election, Amirudin, who is Pahang PH chief, had contacted him expressing the coalition’s readiness to cooperate to form the state government – without any conditions – for the sake of stability and the people’s well-being.
Wan Rosdy, who was sworn in as Pahang menteri besar on Monday as a result of the alliance, said this is in stark contrast to Perikatan Nasional (PN), which set several conditions as it looked to strike an agreement with BN.
The demands included the PN being given the menteri besar and state speaker posts, as well as an equal proportion of executive councillors to BN in the Pahang assembly, he added.
“I could see that they were not up for a discussion. They had already set their demands. I told them that I have received an offer without condition from PH, for the sake of stability,” he said.
Having considered both options, Wan Rosdy said Umno and BN had decided to work with PH, seeing its sincerity to serve the public.
“We set aside our egos and made compromises because we want to be with the rakyat. If we had not worked together with PH, it would have been impossible to form the state government today.”
Amirudin said PH’s decision to cooperate with BN at both the federal and state levels was made towards realising Malaysia’s multiracialism and the need for unity in the country.
Meanwhile, former PAS leader Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali, who has now aligned himself to BN, took aim at his former party for rejecting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s proposal for a unity government, which he said is best for the rakyat. PAS is a component of PN.
“Yes, we have our differences. God created human beings so that we have our own political ideologies. But we can find a common ground for the sake of the community. This is what Islam teaches us,” he said.
Khairuddin also lambasted PAS for being hypocritical in criticising BN’s decision to cooperate with PH.
He pointed to how in 2008 the party had similarly joined arms with PKR and DAP to form the Selangor and Perak governments, giving birth to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, the forerunner to PH.
“If they can (do that) in 2008, why not (us) in 2022? If they can cooperate in Perak and Selangor, then why not us in Pahang?” he said. – The Vibes, December 1, 2022
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