SUBANG JAYA, Aug 6 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the Prime Minister for all Malaysians, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said to reject allegation the former was using the khat controversy to rally Malay support.
Loke was responding to an audio clip in Chinese being shared on social media in which a purported DAP member accused Dr Mahathir of intentionally introducing the traditional Malay calligraphy in vernacular schools to cause racial conflict.
“Don't put words into my mouth,” Loke said when asked if he agreed with the claims made in the audio clip.
“I said Dr Mahathir is a statesman, he is PM for all Malaysians,” he told a press conference after launching the Airbus Helicopters completion and delivery centre here today.
Loke said DAP ministers will convey the concerns raised within the Pakatan Harapan component party over the khat issue in the Cabinet meeting soon.
The DAP national organising secretary declined, however, to reveal the outcome of the party meeting at its headquarters here last night.
Instead, he would only say that they met to collect the views of DAP lawmakers on the issue.
“That has always been our approach whenever we are faced with an issue, we will discuss among ourselves.
“We have come to a conclusion, a united position and from the views and feedback, we will convey to Cabinet.”
Aside from Loke, other senior DAP leaders in the Cabinet include secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo, Teresa Kok.
On MCA deputy president Dr Mah Hang Soon’s demand for DAP to pressure the PM into reversing the move, Loke said he was not answerable to a Barisan Nasional member.
“We are not obligated to MCA, we are obligated to the Malaysian public,” he said.
Yesterday, DAP elected representatives and central committee members met to discuss the introduction of Jawi writing in the Year Four Bahasa Malaysia textbook in Chinese and Tamil schools.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also said she would raise concerns of the public to the prime minister, particularly those coming from the Chinese community.
The Education Ministry’s proposal to introduce khat in the primary school curriculum generated mixed reactions, but it insisted that it will go through with it next year.
Dr Mahathir previously lauded the move and said the objections were isolated.
