Dr M: If DAP posed threat, Muhyiddin could have ended it with a pen stroke

PARLIAMENT | Dr Mahathir Mohamad (IND-Langkawi) used his speech in the Dewan Rakyat today to once again challenge the notion that DAP was capable of “destroying the Malays”.

During his turn to debate the royal address, the former prime minister blamed his predecessor Najib Abdul Razak (BN-Pekan) for the allegation.

In refuting it, Mahathir said Muhyiddin Yassin (Bersatu-Pagoh) could have easily deregistered and “destroyed” DAP back when he was the home minister during the Pakatan Harapan administration.

“Because he harbours hopes to be in the government again, Najib claimed that DAP would destroy the Malays if it is in government.

“This allegation is baseless, it was only used to scare the Malays (and make them) reject the Harapan government. DAP is not capable of destroying the Malays.

“The home minister at the time (Muhyiddin), before he became the prime minister, is aware that DAP can be crippled by simply cancelling its registration,” he said.

Elaborating, Mahathir pointed to how the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) was crippled after it was deregistered and outlawed.

“It is impossible for DAP to succeed where the CPM, with its armed struggle, failed.

“But this lie successfully influenced the Bersatu president (Muhyiddin) and a few other leaders to leave Harapan,” he said, adding that his resignation as the seventh PM was “unavoidable” as a result of Bersatu quitting the coalition.

Stop replacing pros with politicians

Mahathir also used his speech to criticise Perikatan Nasional’s practice of appointing politicians to head government-linked companies and government bodies.

He credited “professionals” for the country’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic, and hoped the government would stop replacing them with politicians.

“I hope this government’s practice of replacing professionals at certain bodies will be stopped. We need these professionals who were appointed by the former Harapan government because they possess certain abilities.

“For politicians, this is just a gift to enable them to receive bigger salaries as they are supporters of the government,” he said.

During his 20 minute speech, Mahathir made many criticisms of PN and called it a “backdoor government” several times.

This prompted a question from Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) if Sabah’s Warisan state government was similarly a “backdoor government” as it secured a majority only after Upko quit BN and joined forces with it after GE14.

“I am of the view that ‘jumping’ happens a lot in Sabah. I don’t know the reason but this has been happening since before this.

“But this has never happened at the federal level in this way. We respect the decision made by the rakyat,” Mahathir answered. 

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