By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 20: The Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government is a loose coalition unlike the Barisan Nasinal (BN) which is a registered political entity, said Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He explained the difference between PN and BN was that, the former is a loose coalition while the latter is a registered party entity which has a logo – the scale (dacing).
“Actually, PN is not a registered political party like Barisan Nasional (BN) before. It is a loose coalition formed by a number of parties – part of them are Bersatu (members of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) because Bersatu (members) are here and there (the two fractions within Bersatu); there have got those from PKR (members breaking from Parti Keadilan Rakyat); there have got some from UMNO; some from GPS; some from PBS (Parti Bersatu Sabah).
“So, they have got the same ideal, partly because they want to see political stability. I know for sure, Sarawak became part of PN because we do not want to see the impasse,” told DayakDaily in an interview at his office at Bangunan Baitulmakmur today.
For Abdul Karim, for PN to rule Malaysia as a loose coalition is a common practice in many democracies in the world.
He explained that in a democracy where no single party can obtain an absolute majority or more than 50 per cent of seats in Parliament, some parties will join forces to become a coalition and form the ruling political entity. For Malaysia, it happened after the chaotic week-long political impasse following the Sheraton Move where a few parties including GPS have agreed to form a ruling coalition and formed a PN government.
“It is okay (for PN) not to be registered. The whole idea is to set up the government so that people at least can have a government; because without a government, who is going to pay for the salary of the civil servants? There will be chaos, so that is the reason why (GPS formed the federal government with PN),” said Abdul Karim.
Abdul Karim further asserted unlike BN before, all the parties within the new ruling coalition of PN make decisions based on consensus where no one detects terms.
“But they (DAP) must understand, the present government is not an UMNO-PAS government. The present PM (Prime Minister) is from Bersatu (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia). Barisan Nasional (which consisted of UMNO, MCA and MIC) and PAS is just like GPS, a part of coalition government.
“They (UMNO and PAS) don’t detect to the PM; (similarly) we don’t detect the PM. We work on consensus. That is the reason why whenever there is an issue, CM (Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) is called to decide, on consensus,” said Abdul Karim.
He was rebutting DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen who alleged that GPS has betrayed Sarawakians by working together with UMNO whose top leaders are embroiled in corruption controversies and PAS, which DAP has been accusing of being religious bigots. — DayakDaily
