SHAH ALAM – Open demands directed at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng will only complicate matters and damage the image of the Unity Government, says Amanah Youth chief Mohd Hasbie Muda.
He said that the practice of issuing attacking statements and making such open demands would also not help to improve the situation.
“Guan Eng is a member of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council. He should have brought those 10 demands to the council’s meeting.
“The Prime Minister is very open and diligent in listening to views and criticisms during meetings,” he told Sinar Harian today.
Guan Eng, who is also a former finance minister, was reported on Friday to have sent an official letter to Anwar outlining 10 points aimed at restoring public confidence in the Unity Government.
The letter, dated Dec 8, was written in Malay and Mandarin, and among other things stressed the need for the government to fulfil PH’s manifesto promises, particularly following the poor performance of DAP and the coalition in the Sabah state election on Nov 29.
Among the points repeatedly emphasised by Guan Eng was the allocation of 10 per cent to non-Bumiputera communities compared with allocations given to Bumiputera, as well as urging that Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue claim be resolved immediately.
In the letter, Guan Eng also pointed out that delays in implementing reform commitments had affected the sentiment of PH supporters, and therefore urged the government to accelerate the implementation of policies promised since the 15th General Election (GE15).
Meanwhile, PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said it was unfair for DAP to issue an ultimatum to Anwar to carry out meaningful reforms within the next six months.
Referring to an earlier statement by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke that the party would reassess its role in the government if Anwar failed to implement reforms, Hassan stressed that this amounted to a form of threat.
He said if PH failed to fulfil some of its manifesto promises, it would be a collective failure.
“DAP has been in the government now known as the Madani Government under the Prime Minister since November 2022, already three years.
“The party should be grateful and thankful to Anwar, PKR and PH for the opportunity to be part of the Madani Government, with five of its leaders becoming ministers and many others appointed as deputy ministers,” he said.
However, Hassan added that if DAP were to withdraw from the Madani Government now, there was a strong possibility that Anwar’s government would collapse.
“But if that were to happen, DAP would have to bear the risk of being condemned by the public indefinitely.
“Anwar, on the other hand, appears prepared to lose rather than submit to DAP’s demands. He would rather lose than win an election by selling out the sovereignty of the Malay language and the National Education Policy,” he said.