PETALING JAYA: The stand of several DAP leaders on the cross-party reform proposal from the Perikatan Nasional government in exchange for a bipartisan vote of confidence has sparked off a controversy.
Two DAP leaders – Damansara MP Tony Pua and Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming – found themselves under fire from party grassroots members.
DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu described the stand by Pua and Ong, who were ready to talk to the government, as “suspicious”.
The Sungai Pelek assemblyman said their statements had angered the people who were disappointed with the failures of the Perikatan government, especially in managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said their stand was in contrast with that of Pakatan Harapan in rejecting the offer, which would have given a lifeline to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to stay in power and cause more people to suffer.
Liu said the duo must withdraw what they said.
“Otherwise, there will be an impression that there is an ‘unseen hand’ behind them... something that is not ‘natural’ and not right,” he was quoted as saying in FMT.
A source said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng gave his blessings to a team of three top DAP leaders including Ong, Pua and Seremban MP Anthony Loke to negotiate the proposals with Perikatan for the seven cross-party reforms before the PM announced them on Aug 12.
Sin Chew Daily, in an exclusive expose, also named DAP’s Liew Chin Tong as being involved in the discussions.
“Muhyiddin said as they had come to the negotiation table and we had come to an agreement, there was no need to bind them in any form, but to take their word that they will give their bipartisan vote en bloc in Parliament in exchange for the reforms which they have long sought for,” the source said.
The source said there were more than five meetings between the DAP team and Perikatan, which was represented by a top member of the Prime Minister’s Office and Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
The source said Muhyiddin’s camp first reached out to all Opposition leaders, but only DAP was willing to sit and discuss the possibility of a bipartisan vote of confidence.
“However, they wanted something in exchange.
“They brought a long list of requests which were then shortlisted to the seven reforms offered by Muhyiddin in the live telecast on Aug 12,” the source said.
The source said Muhyiddin knew some Perikatan parties had trust issues with DAP leaders, but he convinced them that DAP would not go back on its word before he made the public announcement.
The source said the Prime Minister made the announcement publicly to show his sincerity as the negotiations were already made and the Opposition, mainly DAP, seemed agreeable to the seven offers.
“Muhyiddin wanted to see if he could get more Opposition votes besides the DAP bloc when he made the live announcement,” the source said.
The source said Muhyiddin assigned a few ministers earlier to find out what the Opposition wanted in exchange for them to give a bipartisan vote during the vote of confidence slated for Sept 7 in the new Parliament session.
“The Perikatan parties were not very keen to extend the olive branch to the Opposition to come together.
“But in the spirit of just keeping the government on a while longer so that it would be able to implement the national vaccination programme and rebuild the economy, they were made to swallow their pride and offer the Opposition what they have long sought for,” the source added.
The source said Muhyiddin, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president, also had to convince Gabungan Parti Sarawak, MCA and PAS that they had to be open to the idea of working together with DAP.
“The parties in the Perikatan government then agreed that if these reforms were good for the rakyat and at the same time be able to buy time for the Perikatan government to implement the programmes for the people, then why not?” the source added.