KUALA LUMPUR – Any cooperation between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) should not be seen as another coalition with parties pursuing a full reform of their ideologies.
They should instead be commended for having been on the same page on various issues, such as measures to deal with the pandemic and post-Covid-19 Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana), said PH vice-president and information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin.
“This cooperation is required because PH and BN are able to provide political stability during this pandemic, putting aside ideologies and politics in the interim.
PH, BN, and Umno will be able to form a government together based on the understanding of the common goal and objectives that need to be achieved.
“We are not focusing on each party’s own interest; we must rise above that for the new government to be effective and stable,” he said during a webinar hosted by the Sekhar Institute and The Vibes, called “Emergency, Democracy and The Rule of Law” today.
He added that the strengths of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership as the next prime minister-hopeful should be given attention.
“He has proven time and again that he can bring together parties with different views to work together, to see the bigger picture, and to achieve goals at particular points in time.”
Shamsul says Anwar has received support from the majority to be prime minister.
“To have him as a prime minister, of course you must have support from the majority, that’s the constitutional provision.
“If you’re talking about PH and Umno combined I think we have 126 on paper as of now,” he added.
Meanwhile, at the same webinar, DAP Youth chief Howard Lee said while he has yet to receive any official word on the tie-up between PH and BN, any decision on such an alliance will be the collective decision of the presidential council.
“While in principle, I agree that there needs to be some form of a unity government if and when Umno pulls out and there is a void in the government, (but) I don’t think there is a decision as of yet within PH to enter into such a cooperation.
“We don’t reject it, but in order for us to accept it, we must know what the end game is,” Howard said.
Other panellists at the webinar were former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, ex-Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, and actor, producer and social activist Datuk Afdlin Shauki Aksan. – The Vibes, July 3, 2021
