Dr M: Can’t form Opposition coalition without DAP

(The Star) – While hoping to still form an alliance with PAS, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia acknowledges that the Opposition cannot form a coalition without DAP in it.

Its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Malaysia is a multi-racial country and a government could not be formed by parties that represent only one race.

“We cannot exclude DAP from our coalition, just as much as Umno cannot exclude MCA from Barisan Nasional. Excluding them is not an option, even though we still want to have PAS on board,” he said.

Speaking after presenting letters of appointment to the party’s 120 division chiefs, Dr Mahathir said that it would not stop from working with its other allies just to have PAS on its side.

“DAP has 39 seats and PAS has less. We can’t give this up in order to work with a party with the fewer number of seats,” he pointed out.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang recently declared that the Islamist party has closed its doors to Dr Mahathir’s Pribumi as the party is working with DAP and Parti Amanah Negara,

This was in response to the ultimatum by Dr Mahathir for PAS to decide within a month whether it would join Pakatan Harapan in the run-up to the 14th general election.

Asked if the matter could be resolved, Dr Mahathir said that his party had tried to do so.

“We have been patient, we didn’t say anything against PAS. We have done everything possible, so what else can we do.

“I don’t want us to crawl and kiss their feet,” he said.

“We still give them one month even if they say one month is not necessary. We are generous people,” he quipped.

He explained that he did not issue PAS with an ultimatum but that his party had waited a long time for the former to decide on the offer.

“We need to move on. There are a lot of things that need to be settled and if things are left hanging, it is difficult for us to implement our plans for the Opposition to form a coalition,” he said.