DAP refuted Umno president Najib Abdul Razak’s accusation that it is an “unfaithful partner”.
Its vice-chairperson Teresa Kok said the party has never double-crossed its partners.
“I do not wish to call the prime minister a liar but I must state the truth. History shows that we have been a trustworthy and reliable party and opposition coalition partner.
“We have stuck to the common agenda and objectives that formed the basis of our cooperation. We betrayed no one and we stabbed no one in the back,” Kok said in a statement.
Najib in his policy speech at the Umno annual general assembly said history shows DAP has a track record of being unfaithful to its partners.
“On the contrary, Umno is a party that cannot be trusted. It has long behaved as a big bully to its coalition partners,” Kok said.
DAP has been in four coalitions since 1990 – Gagasan Rakyat, Barisan Alternative, Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan, which it is a member of today.
Barisan Alternative and Pakatan Rakyat both disbanded after DAP and PAS came to loggerheads over the implementation of the hudud.
Some PAS leaders also accused DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng of imposing DAP’s will onto its partners.
Recently Lim, who is also Penang CM, claimed there is a coup in Penang PKR when PKR assemblypersons abstained from voting on a motion brought by an Umno assemblyperson on sea reclamation.
Lim’s rebuke of the PKR assemblypersons raised the ire of Penang PKR leaders.
Umno has also been accused of ignoring its partners in BN.
Umno’s partners spoke out against the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu rally on Sept 16, but Najib, as BN chairperson, said the coalition “agreed to disagree” on the matter.
The rally – commonly known as the ‘red shirt rally’ – was led by Umno leaders.
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