KUCHING, March 1: In the ongoing fallout of the shifts in power at the echelons of the nation, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri James Masing called on all politicians across the political divide to stop ‘horse trading’ to gain power.
Instead, he urged them to focus on uniting the people and developing Malaysia as a whole for the good of the nation following Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s appointment as the eighth prime minister earlier today.
“With Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin sworn in as the 8th PM of Malaysia, let all of us regardless of political divide, race and religion get together for the betterment of this nation.
“Forget political rhetorics for a while and, for goodness sake, stop ‘horse trading’ in order to gain power.
“Malaysian lawmakers please keep your ‘maruah’ (dignity) intact and wait until 15th general election (GE15) to make your move to the positions which you aspire,” Masing urged in a statement.
Meanwhile, he also expressed belief that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should have the dignity to resign earlier as interim prime minister to clean up corrupt practices in the federal government.
In a press statement issued earlier, he opined the then interim prime minister’s move to seek support from several Members of the Parliament at the eleventh hour to back him up as the eighth prime minister by signing statutory declarations (SDs) is a move too late.
“If (Dr) Mahathir wants to clean Malaysian politics of corruption, he should start wth himself.
“Now they can collect all the SDs they want, it doesn’t matter. It is too late now. The (Yang di-Pertuan) Agong (Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah) has decided.
“It’s not the number of SDs. It’s the opinion of the Agong whom he feels can command the respect of the majority in Parliament.
“They (Pakatan Harapan leaders) can go to Parliament and show their support for Dr Mahathir there instead.
If Muhyiddin Yassin loses the vote of confidence, he has the power to advise the Agong to dissolve Parliament and new elections will be held, which is not what Mahathir or Democractic Action Party (DAP) wants.
“(The) Agong and the Malay Rulers have made a brilliant decision.
“Besides, what future will the country have if it’s run by a 94-year-old man?” he opined, adding that there were many factors in the Agong’s decision to appoint Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) president was sworn in as the eighth prime minister of Malaysia this morning. — DayakDaily
