The Malaysian Insight

THERE is no big brother or dictator in Pakatan Harapan as decisions are made by the presidential council, said Amanah communications director Khalid Samad.

Khalid told the about 1,000 people who attended tonight’s ceramah, entitled “Love Malaysia, Eradicate Kleptocracy’, in Shah Alam, that all four parties in the coalition were equal.

“All decisions will be debated by the presidential council even though we have a de facto leader, chairman and president.

“But they don’t have the ultimate say without the consent of the PH presidential council.

“We want to change the political culture in our country to ensure there is a check and balance. There is no big brother or dictator who will decide everything,” he said.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, popularly known as Mat Sabu, meanwhile, mocked those who had questioned the absence of DAP lawmakers in PH’s leadership line-up.

“Umno suddenly loves DAP, questioning why Lim Kit Siang is not part of the structure and (they say) it means DAP is being played by Dr Mahathir.

“There are also people who say there is a hidden agenda or that DAP is the real mastermind. What does Umno actually want?” he said.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak had raised the question of why DAP had not been given any of the top positions when it had the most MPs in the coalition. 

“Was DAP sidelined or was the line-up deliberately done up to look as if the coalition is dominated by Malays?” Salleh said. 

Shah Alam is the second stop in the PH roadshow to explain the 1MDB scandal to Malay Muslims who are key voters in the next general election.

Investigations are being carried out in six countries into how US$4.5 billion (RM19.3 billion) was allegedly siphoned from the state firm.

The US DoJ alleges some of the money flowed into the account of “Malaysian Official No1” and was used to buy jewellery for his wife.

Cabinet Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan has confirmed that MO1 is Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Tonight’s ceramah is also the first PH event after the coalition announced its much-awaited leadership line-up.

Although it is an urban parliamentary seat, Shah Alam’s Malay Muslim residents are well-known for being ultra-conservative. The city is home to a large Malay populace from Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. – July 17, 2017.