THE Barisan Nasional government, which has ruled Malaysia for too long, must be defeated these elections or the condition of the country will spiral further downwards, said Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years, said the current leaders in BN were destroying the country.

“It has already been so long since our country achieved independence, we only know one government,” he told a crowd of thousands at Bukit Katil, Malacca, last night.

“We see this government the longer it stays, the worst it gets,” he said.

Dr Mahathir, 93, said caretaker prime minister Najib Razak was desperate to hold on to power, as evident by Bersatu’s deregistration last month.

“He (Najib) wants to stop opposition parties from contesting. There was no answer, when we applied,” said Dr Mahathir, who founded Bersatu after he quit Umno in 2016.

“This is the new way. Last time there was an answer, but in Najib’s time, we don’t get an answer.”

Dr Mahathir, who at times during his speech appeared overwhelmed by the thunderous cheers from the crowd, said the large turnout at all the opposition events so far signals a desire by the people for change.

“We need to win! We must win this,” he said to the crowd cheering “Hidup Tun” (Long live Tun).

Last night’s ceramah featured top leaders from PH and past Umno ministers, such as Daim Zainuddin and Rafidah Aziz.

Among the PH leaders present were PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu. – May 5, 2018.