CHERAS: Charges have been levelled against Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin because Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has replaced Umno as the defender of Malays, says Wan Ahmad Fahysal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
The chief of Bersatu's youth wing Armada said that Umno's "unholy alliance" with DAP to form the unity government was the biggest betrayal of the Malays.
The Machang MP said this during his opening speech at the gathering of 500 Armada delegates during the Bersatu annual general meeting at Menara PGRM here on Saturday (March 11).
Wan Fahysal also said Armada would not allow former prime minister Muhyiddin to step down as president of the party despite the charges that had been brought against the latter on Friday (March 10).
He said that there was a stark difference between the six corruption charges brought against Muhyiddin and that of convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was involved in the 1MDB scandal.
"Muhyiddin is not Najib who was involved with 1MDB corruption. The people will decipher which is glass and which is diamond. Such selective persecution is unfair and inhumane,” said Wan Fahsyal.
"We pray for our president to persevere. We will defend our president. We will fight Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his government for the attacks on our president," he added to applause from delegates.
Wan Fahysal said that Umno has lost its right to speak for the Malays when it joined hands with DAP, which he alleged has anti-Malay policies.
"The unholy alliance between Umno and DAP is the biggest betrayal of the Malays, as Umno was also talking to Perikatan Nasional then,” he said.
"Umno then got into the government on a token basis. The inclusion of Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the Deputy Prime Minister into the unity government is akin to an albatross around the neck of Anwar,” added Wan Fahysal.
He said that Ahmad Zahid has 47 corruption charges still pending against him, adding that a recent survey's results show that Malays were largely dissatisfied with the unity government's delivery in its first 100 days.
"Malay politics is in an age of decline as the representation of Malays in Parliament among the ruling parties is no longer in the mainstream. Those who urge pro-Malay policies are regarded as 'strange'. If this continues, the Malays would be alienated in their own land,” said Wan Fahysal.
"Bersatu is the new Malay narrative. The confidence of the Malays in the government has gone down. The 100 days survey showed only 43% of Malays are confident in the unity government,” he added.
Wan Fahsyal said that the political landscape in the coming elections would require a new Malay narrative.
In his speech, he also lambasted the government for not allowing EPF withdrawals and stating that EPF should be collateral for bank loans.
"This is what you get when you have a Prime Minister who is pro-International Monetary Fund," said Wan Fahysal.
During the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Anwar who was then deputy prime minister and finance minister had backed IMF's propositions to lend financial support to Malaysia, which was then overruled by the then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Also present at the event were Bersatu top leaders Datuk Seri Radzi Jidin, Datuk Mohamed Azmin Ali and Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah as well as representatives from Perikatan components PAS and Gerakan.
