PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke should not dismiss outright Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claim that the party has been influencing the Prime Minister to adhere to its manifesto, says Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.
The Muafakat Nasional deputy president claimed in a statement that DAP played a significant role in pressuring Dr Mahathir to step down as prime minister after Pakatan Harapan's 22 months in power.
“Perhaps Loke has forgotten that DAP was one of those who pressured Dr Mahathir into relinquishing the post," she said on Tuesday (July 4).
Zuraida, a former Ampang MP, was a PKR vice president until the events of the Sheraton Move in February 2020.
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Zuraida also said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang had pledged during a Sandakan by-election campaign speech on May 10, 2019 that he would quit his political career if Dr Mahathir did not hand over the position of prime minister to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim immediately.
She argued that this demonstrated DAP's insincerity in the Pakatan government following its victory in the 2018 general election.
"Such a statement from DAP's most influential leader at the time caused discomfort within the coalition and raised doubts about the party's true intentions.
"If pressure had not been exerted on Mahathir during that time, he would not have resigned or made plans to do so.
"DAP's insincerity in supporting Dr Mahathir's administration at that time subsequently led to his resignation as the seventh Prime Minister," she said.
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On Monday (July 3), Dr Mahathir had said that it was unconstitutional to promote a multiracial Malaysia and that DAP was influencing Anwar's government to comply with its manifesto owing to its position as the coalition partner with the most parliamentary seats.
Dr Mahathir, in an online post, had claimed that promoting a multi-ethnic country contradicted the Constitution, as Malaysia was never described as such.
In response, Loke reminded Mahathir that he had the support of 42 DAP MPs during his tenure as premier.
"But did DAP ever withdraw our support from him or threaten to do so?" he said.
Loke also rejected Mahathir's allegation that DAP aimed to make Malaysia a multi-ethnic country and replace Islam as the official religion with a secular state, considering it a "baseless and irresponsible accusation".
Loke stressed that DAP always upheld the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution, including Islam's position as the religion of the Federation.
