Mahathir Doubtful Of PAS Pullout To Allow UMNO Win Unopposed

But at the same time urging the people to give the Islamists Party the benefit of the doubt and vote for them.

Tun Mahathir in his lastest blog posting.

Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not rule out the possibility that PAS may go through the motions of naming candidates for the two by-elections in June, and in the absence of a third candidate, may pull out to allow Barisan Nasional (BN) to win unopposed.

“We should not be surprised if this happens,” alleged Mahathir in his latest blog posting. “PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang has accepted Najib although the whole world knows the Prime Minister is a very corrupt person.”

“It’s because of Hadi’s stand that PAS has splintered and continues to face divisions.”

In explaining why it was important to defeat BN in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar, Mahathir said, “Najib should not be allowed to win the two by-elections. Otherwise, he will claim that the people accept him as the Prime Minister.”

“He has already done that after the Sarawak state election on May 7. In fact, it was Adenan Satem who won the election, not Najib.”

The coming parliamentary by-elections, ventured Mahathir, were between the people and Najib. “It’s not a contest of parties.”

“That’s why it’s important to defeat Najib in the by-elections. BN losing would mean the victory of the people over the Najib regime.”

He urged the people to support whoever stands against BN in the two by-elections. He fears, at the same time, that if more than one candidate represents the Opposition, the votes on their side would be split, allowing BN to win by default. “PAS placing a candidate will also help BN if the people place another candidate to fight both the two parties.”

Nevertheless, continued Mahathir, If PAS was serious about fighting BN in the by-elections, the people should give the Islamists the benefit of the doubt and vote for them. He agrees that should PAS win, it will just be a slave to BN which has much more MPs in Parliament.

Mahathir was reiterating his position that the activities being organized to topple Najib was a people’s movement and not one monopolized by any political party. Once Najib is toppled, he argued, democracy will be restored and the respective political parties can once against pursue their agenda. “The people can decide who they can support and who will lead the nation.”

He was warning against Najib dismissing the move to topple him as one led by the Opposition. “It’s not. This is a people’s movement.”

“The signatories of the Citizens’ Declaration are ordinary people, mostly not members of any political parties.”

Najib, charged Mahathir, was also trying to make it seem as if he had joined the Opposition although it was not true. “He disregarded the fact that the Declaration was made not in the name of opposition political parties but in the name of the citizens of Malaysia.”

“I am in this movement as a citizen, not as a member of any party. I have not joined any party.”

The citizens do not call for the overthrow of the government but only for Najib to be removed as Prime Minister, assured Mahathir. “When Najib is expelled, BN will still continue to be in power. It can go on to choose a new Prime Minister.”

Source FMT