PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has been rated by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang to be the “worst” of the five men in the running to be prime minister this general election (GE).

The other four are Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PN’s Muhyiddin Yassin and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Anwar Ibrahim. PAS is a component party in PN.

Lim told reporters in Kuching, Sarawak today Hadi “will form a government of liars” as he has “lower morals than singer Jamal Abdillah”, in reference to the 63 year-old heart throb of the 70s who had apologised for the “political spin” he had made against the DAP.

He said Hadi was unapologetic for alleging DAP are communists, anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty.

Giving four reasons why this GE is the most important and critical in Malaysian history, he said one reason is it will elect who among the five will be the country’s 10th prime minister.

On the chances of Ismail Sabri, the poster boy of BN resuming where he left off, Lim said Ismail himself does not believe that he will be the prime minister even if Umno-led BN wins.

“When Zahid said who the prime minister will be is the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and should not be questioned is a clear indication that Zahid has not given up on his ambition to be the prime minister.”

On Muhyiddin’s chances, Lim said it would depend on which party, Bersatu or PAS, wins more seats.

He, however, reminded voters that Muhyiddin was the “mastermind of the Sheraton Move” which toppled the PH government after 22 months and “illegitimately” suspended parliament on the grounds of the Covid-19 pandemic due to the fear that a vote of no confidence could be tabled in parliament against him.

Lim, however, was full of praise for Anwar, describing him as “clearly head and shoulders above the other three candidates”.

Lim also claimed the BN is “not so confident any more” now of winning the general election.

“When parliament was dissolved on October 10, Umno and BN were sure of forming the federal government in Putrajaya. Three weeks on, they were not,” he said.

He said while there are many reasons for this, the change in the political mood in the country with the realisation that the return of a Umno-BN federal government in Putrajaya will see more corruption and abuse of power in Malaysia.

“Zahid made it very clear that the 15GE is to save Umno-BN leaders from being charged in court for corruption and being sent to jail.”

He said the BN manifesto talk about prosperity and stability was just an eye-wash to the agenda to free the BN leaders, including former prime minister Najib Razak who is serving a 12-year prison sentence. – November 9, 2022.