SEMENYIH, Feb 19 ― Umno leaders appear unshaken by new ally PAS’s recent declaration of support for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, their one-time president of 22 years who is now a powerful political nemesis.
Two Umno veterans met on the campaign trail for the upcoming March 2 by-election here were dismissive of suggestions that their Islamist political partner’s unexpected backing for Dr Mahathir last Sunday, could fracture their newfound alliance.
“I agree with PAS in supporting Tun Dr Mahathir. This is because the change of a prime minister in the mid-term could lead to havoc and imbalance in the government and politics,” Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo told a news conference after a ceramah in Kampung Rinching Hilir here last night.
The former Selangor mentri besar was referring to the much talked-about agreement between Dr Mahathir and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the latter to succeed the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman as the next prime minister.
To Dr Khir, PAS’s support for Dr Mahathir was not only appropriate but pertinent for political stability in the nation.
He believes PAS’s support is based on policies and the agenda to strengthen the position of Islam and added that he too would back Dr Mahathir as the head of government on the same grounds.
But Dr Khir said he was disappointed that Dr Mahathir would engage in what he called a “psy war” to break the PAS-Umno partnership in the Semenyih by-election by claiming the Islamist party would withdraw its support.
“I am disappointed by the statement issued by Dr Mahathir that is meant to break the unity between PAS and Umno. I think as the prime minister he should support the idea of unity in any form as we too seek better unity among one another.
“In fact, Dr Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had even said that the government needs a strong Opposition. For a strong Opposition to exist, it must do so on the platform of national unity.
“So he has to encourage and support such efforts for unity to happen which could lead to an effective check-and-balance of the government. However, why when PAS and Umno work together, they become very angry? This I do not understand,” he said without elaborating on whom he meant.
Once political enemies, Umno and PAS have joined forces in the aftermath of the 14th general election last year against the PH government and to win back support from the Malays and Muslims who form the country’s biggest voter demography.
Their cooperation led to victory in the Cameron Highlands by-election last month ― a success that Umno and PAS would like to repeat in Semenyih, said Dr Khir.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan did not think PAS support for Dr Mahathir would jeopardise both their parties’ ties.
Rather, he dismissed Dr Mahathir’s recent remark about PAS’s withdrawal of support fo Umno as misinformation meant to confuse grassroots supporters.
“I figure Tun Dr Mahathir cannot accept another defeat since their loss in Cameron Highlands. One of the reasons why we won there is because of the unity between PAS and Umno.
“They wished to stop the momentum of Umno and PAS as we are still high spirited from the win,” he said, referring to PH leaders.
During the ceramah, both Dr Khir and Ahmad Maslan told a crowd of some 60 people not to be duped by PH's “empty promises”.
Both men cited the continued practice of charging toll fares, the fluctuating pump prices for petrol and diesel, and the redoubled efforts to reclaim tertiary education loan payments from graduates as examples of PH’s broken election promises.
