Stop accepting Barisan leaders into Pakatan, Dr M told

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. - AFP

PETALING JAYA: Newly installed Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been urged by civil society group Engage to stop accepting Barisan Nasional component parties into Pakatan Harapan.

Engage chairman Thomas Fann pointed out that Malaysians voted for a change in government, not a for new government which consisted of the same leaders from Barisan.

“We want a new government, not a renamed Barisan Nasional consisting of the very same people we voted against in the 14th general election.

“We don’t want Barisan Nasional 2.0,” he said in a statement issued Saturday (May 12).

Fann pointed out that parties such as Upko, LDP, PBRS had left Barisan and want to join the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.

It is rumoured that PBB in Sarawak is also contemplating a similar move.

PBB is the party of the current State Governor Taib Mahmud, who during his tenure as Chief Minister of Sarawak, was alleged to have amassed vast wealth for himself and his family members.

Fann said that he and many of these Barisan leaders should be investigated for corruption and abuse of power.

“We do not want the culture and patronage of Barisan to nullify the spirit of struggle and sacrifice of Pakatan.

“It would be a betrayal of the rakyat if the leadership of Pakatan were to welcome any of these former Barisan parties and even elected MPs and state assemblymen into Pakatan or membership of Pakatan component parties.”

Fann said that Pakatan does not need to rely on defectors from Barisan to consolidate power (for state governments).

“It can form a viable minority government with enough Opposition (non-Pakatan) members supporting the new government on confidence motions and Budget bills.

“There is no need for Pakatan to rule every state, especially in Sarawak where Barisan has a clear majority.”

Fann also pointed out that Malaysians gave Pakatan the mandate to govern the country for the next five years, because they want a clean government that prioritises the needs of the people.