Najib aide calls Dr Mahathir DAP puppet, not top dog

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 19 Jul 2017 5:38PM · 5 Comments

Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad has declared himself top dog in the opposition but Barisan Nasional thinks otherwise. – EPA pic, July 19, 2017.

PUTRALAYA continues to label Lim Kit Siang the real leader of the opposition with Prime Minister Najib Razak’s press aide describing Dr Mahathir Mohamad as more a DAP puppet than top dog in the Pakatan Harapan coalition.

Press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad also mocked Dr Mahathir’s proposal for a town hall on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, pointing out that none was held in his 22 years as prime minister.

“As the opposition chairman, Dr Mahathir claims he’s the top dog in the opposition, equal to a prime minister. But whether he is delusional, unrealistic or wants to deceive the people, the real dictator in the opposition is Lim Kit Siang, who isn’t listed in the leadership line-up,” Tengku Sariffuddin said in a statement today.

He pointed out that Dr Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) party had only one seat in parliament compared with DAP which had the majority of the opposition bench with 38 seats.

“The reality is, Kit Siang is the true leader and Dr Mahathir is just a puppet. While the list of opposition leaders announced shows a number of Malays, it hides the fact that the power and control is actually in the hands of DAP.”

Tengku Sariffuddin’s statement strictly follows the Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) playbook that PH is controlled by DAP and the opposition’s victory will lead to a loss of Malay power in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Constitution does not restrict anyone from becoming prime minister but Umno’s continued presence in the ruling government has meant that Malays are assured of the country’s top executive post.

Several other Umno leaders have harped on DAP’s role in the opposition ranks as the kingmaker and real power behind the throne, in an attempt to frame the electoral battle along racial and religious lines.

But Dr Mahathir’s move to join the opposition has turned the political battle to one among the majority Malays, and further splitting the Malay vote in the coming general election which must be held by 2018.

Umno under Najib had lost the popular vote for the first time in 2013 despite Dr Mahathir’s support then, leading to speculation of further losses in the current scenario.

Dr Mahathir has led a small but loyal core out of Umno, including his son, sacked Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, sacked deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to combine with PKR, which is led by Anwar Ibrahim, who was earlier sacked nearly 20 years ago by the veteran politician.

A PAS splinter party, Amanah, has also combined with Bersatu and PKR to form PH with DAP, the only Chinese-majority party in the opposition benches.

The ruling coalition and their political foes have been talking up their chances and sniping at each other despite little sign of a general election soon. The current speculation is general elections could be held as early as September after the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) that ends August 31 which is the 60th Merdeka or Independence anniversary. – July 19, 2017.

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Comments

  • Then najib must be the puppet since you are doing the talking..Can you accept that? Stupid umno..

    Posted 6 years ago by Ali Along · Reply

  • Scream all you want. Throw all tantrums you desire. Go into the never ending fitting rage as any mentally unsound being devoid of sanity at your pleasure. Hear Ye!!! Hear Ye!!! ---- all you UmnoBN deprived intellectual subteranean being.
    Nothing will change the destinny of Umno BN coming into demise against the new cohesive front that is blessed to carve out a new chapter for Malaysia as pre ordained.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • You can say Dr.M is old, and that fine . You can say Dr. M is concerned about the prospect and future of his son, and that might stick too. But when you attack Dr.M by calling him a puppet or a macai, i think it will backfire on you, because even people who don't understand why will know that an individual like Dr. M cannot be anyone's macai - their needs are too little, and their conscience too free, for them to anything but independent until the end of their days.

    Posted 6 years ago by Nehru Sathiamoorthy · Reply

  • It's ok Tun M can be the puppet for everyone in PH -- as long BN is defeated and Najib & Co are in jail.

    Posted 6 years ago by Kuasa Rakyat · Reply

  • 'Hew described the former prime minister as the people’s tool and a very sharp keris that could destroy Umno’s influence in rural areas. “Before one does something, one must sharpen one’s weapons,” he said. He said Mahathir, who is formerly an Umno strongman, is the most powerful “tool” to destroy Umno.' – Free Malaysia Today | COMMENT: No need to Tai Chi so much. Superman 'Screw Malay' Hew had let the cat out of the bag as eloquently as he can given his limited vocabulary. Spinners can hew and cry otherwise as much as they want, but DAP's duplicity is betrayed by one of its own, while talking to their own. Mahathir is nothing more than a tool to 'screw Malays'. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Posted 6 years ago by Cassius Pereira · Reply