Malaysia

GRS victory ‘at the expense of democracy’, Tun M says

Former PM warns that party-hopping will be death of democracy

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 27 Sep 2020 3:05PM

GRS victory ‘at the expense of democracy’, Tun M says
Ex-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) still backs former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as a PM candidate. – The Vibes pic, September 27, 2020

by Ian McIntyre

LANGKAWI – Defections and money were the approach taken by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) when contesting yesterday’s state election, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and it is disappointing that voters did not take this into account.

The former prime minister said party-hopping was what triggered the polls in the first place, and if the practice persists, democracy will dissipate in Malaysia.

“It happened to the federal government before, and then, in Sabah,” he said here today.

“It is the wrong approach, and at the expense of democracy. If it continues to happen, parties with money will just keep buying people over.”

GRS – a loose coalition comprising Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah – won by a simply majority, announced the Election Commission last night.

Despite the Warisan Plus alliance’s defeat, Dr Mahathir said he still backs its leader, former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, as a prime minister candidate. – The Vibes, September 27, 2020

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