ONLY “one or two” DAP members are unhappy with Pakatan Harapan’s pick of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime minister candidate, said Lim Guan Eng.

The DAP secretary-general and PH deputy president said members were loyal to the party and respected the pact’s decision, even if they might have differing views.

“At the end of the day, they still give their support. Those who do not are those who have left the party.

“DAP is a democratic party, where members can give their views,” he told reporters in Penang today.

Lim was asked to comment on Wanita DAP international secretary Sangeet Kaur’s Facebook post that criticised PH’s prime minister candidate.

The well-known lawyer and daughter of the late Karpal Singh, DAP’s former chairman, said Dr Mahathir becoming prime minister again would bring back “Mahathirism”.

She said PH lacked a long-term political strategy, adding that the focus should be on policies, not personalities.

She questioned whether it was realistic to have Dr Mahathir leave the prime minister’s post to make way for PH de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is still in jail, when the latter became eligible to run in elections again.

PH’s selection of its prime minister candidate, announced at its convention on Sunday, has caused mixed reactions, with Selangor PKR protesting against the decision.

Lim dismissed Liow Tiong Lai’s statement on DAP’s 35-seat allocation as announced at the PH convention, in which the MCA president reportedly said DAP had lost its influence among voters.

“That is just one federal seat less. We have not yet included the seats we will contest in Sabah and Sarawak,” said the DAP leader.

“The seat division this time is to accommodate four parties in the opposition coalition. There were only three parties in the past.”

In the 2013 general election, DAP, PKR and PAS had contested as part of the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat bloc.

The current main opposition pact of PH comprises DAP, PKR, Bersatu and Amanah.

Lim said Liow also accused DAP of selling off Chinese interests.

“But on the other hand, you have others saying DAP is still the dominant party in the opposition.

“Such remarks are being made to frighten Malays. But can’t they count? DAP is contesting only 35 federal seats.

“Now, there is also PAS, the foe-turned-friend of Umno, saying the same thing. They have no other issues. They play up only race and religious politics.”

The Penang chief minister said the people could see that PH was trying to bring about change.

“The people know that if they support PH, they will see changes. The goods and services tax will be gone, and fuel prices will be stabilised.” – January 9, 2018.