PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has a knack for issuing provocative statements that should go unanswered, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“It is best that we don’t respond. I for one, do not intend to (react) to his provocation,” the Deputy Prime Minister said on Tuesday (July 4).
Asked if the former prime minister had deliberately raised incendiary matters as six state elections were drawing near, Ahmad Zahid said he would not be surprised if that were the case.
“That may be the thinking. He seems to have a template to provoke others and raise provocative issues,” he added.
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Selangor, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah have dissolved their respective state assemblies to make way for elections.
The Deputy Prime Minister was asked about Dr Mahathir’s statement that it is unconstitutional to promote a multiracial country.
Dr Mahathir had argued that this is because the Federal Constitution never mentioned that Malaysia is a multiracial country.
“Instead, the Constitution stressed a Malay Malaysia,” he said on Monday (July 3).
The former prime minister was responding to Bukit Gelugor Umno information chief Huzaidi Husin’s call for him to stop fanning racial sentiments.
Dr Mahathir then took a further swipe at the current Cabinet line-up.
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“Yes, DAP has four ministers. But within the government, there are 40 DAP MPs. If DAP retracted support, (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government would collapse.
“That is why Anwar has to follow DAP’s manifesto, specifically making multiracial Tanah Melayu and replacing the official religion of Islam with a secular country and a country without official religion,” he had said.
In response, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said Dr Mahathir should remember that he had 42 DAP MPs in his Cabinet during Pakatan Harapan's 2018-2020 administration and they never once threatened to withdraw support for him.
