KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Klang MP Charles Santiago accused Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of unilateralism today and told the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council to curb the “minority party” leader.
The DAP MP blamed the Bersatu chairman for the current controversy over the introduction of khat in primary schools, insisting Dr Mahathir must have known it would trigger public dissatisfaction.
He also cited the government’s decisions in other issues including the refusal to deport Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik as well as the high-profile reversals on Lynas Malaysia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) as examples.
“Mahathir, by now, should be able to read the mood of the people. And he must understand that arbitrary decisions, without consultation, will not get him far.
“Therefore, there must be a review in the decision-making process at the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council,” he said in a statement.
Charles asserted that the PH leadership must be consulted on matters relating to race and religion in government policy.
The country’s education system was also in need of fundamental reforms that were more pressing than the introduction of khat, he said.
He warned that voters were “livid and furious” with the administration and threatening to expel the current leaders in the next general election.
“Currently, it looks like there it too much power in the hands of the prime minister and so this power needs to be shared equally amongst all the component parties.
“We can’t get rid of former premier Najib Razak, only to become just like him,” Charles said.
