Mahathir: “Unhappy things” happening in states under opposition rule

(Bernama) – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the performance of the opposition in the states under their rule left much to be desired.

“They’ve already been given a lot of chances. A lot of unhappy things have happened in Penang, the same (is happening) in Selangor.   

“They have been given the chance. What’s there left to try. If we allow the situation to deteriorate badly, it will be difficult to repair,”  he told Bernama here.

He was queried on the opposition’s strategy of asking voters to give them just one chance to rule Malaysia and that they could be changed later if they failed to perform.

To another question, Dr Mahathir, who was Malaysia’s prime minister for 22 years until 2003, said the selection of winnable Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the next general election should take into consideration the views of the grassroots.

“If they don’t support the winnable candidates, the winnable candidates will not win,” Dr Mahathir pointed out.

 He said that members of BN component parties should be willing to support the chosen candidates irrespective of who they were.

 Dr Mahathir also brushed aside claims that the Malaysian electoral process was unfair.

 “In Malaysia, throughout our electoral history, there has never been a time the opposition did not win (any seats). They won to the point of capturing states.

“Many states have fallen into opposition hands. If there is manipulation, no way they can win,” he added.