GE14 | A day before Malaysians choose their next government, former finance minister Daim Zainuddin has chided former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for maintaining his support for ruling coalition BN.

He also said that Abdullah, commonly known by his moniker Pak Lah, had failed to realise the plight of the rakyat.

“I am friends with Pak Lah, and while he says ‘don’t change’, I say ‘we change when it’s dirty’. If it wasn’t dirty we wouldn't need to change.

“I hope Pak Lah will sedar (realise) and go have a look at the rakyat,” Daim told a press conference in Langkawi today.

“We want Malaysia to go towards ‘spring’, not remain in ‘winter’. We are still in winter.

“Tell Pak Lah, people are saying he might still be asleep. I didn’t say it,” he added.

Daim was asked to comment on ex-ministers who had not followed his footsteps in going to the stump for opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.

Referencing Richard III, Abdullah previously cautioned Malaysians saying, “Spring may lead to a glorious summer but can also end up in a winter of discontent for our children,” a veiled jibe against Harapan.

Daim, along with former ministers Rafidah Aziz and Rais Yatim have all come out of retirement to campaign for Harapan in the 14th general election.

As Daim explained, they are merely carrying out their responsibilities in doing so.

“We have a responsibility. If the other ex-ministers do not want to come out, that is their business.

“If the government commits wrongdoing, we can’t keep defending it,” he insisted.

‘BN will do anything to win’

Meanwhile, Daim also criticised how the Langkawi Development Board (Lada) is holding a mega-concert at the same time as Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s final nationwide address before the polls, slated to happen at 10pm tonight.

“Be careful because BN will do anything in order to win, like the concert that you see is happening tonight.

“During the elections you have a caretaker government, so how can they use public funds?

“Even the Election Commission chief (Mohd Hashim Abdullah) has not seemed to notice it, even though Bersih has made 80 complaints,” he said.

The ‘Langkawi Hebat’ concert, happening just over 3km from where Mahathir will be speaking, will feature a string of local artists such as Ramli Sarip, DJ Dave, Dayang Nurfaizah, Joe Flizzow and others.

It will also have a fireworks display and a lucky draw giving away motorcycles, smartphones and Playstation sets.