Big mistake to work with opposition, Utusan tells Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has made a big mistake by quitting Umno and forging cooperation with the opposition, Umno mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, said today. Columnist Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the Malay-language newspaper collective editorial team, said Dr Mahathir appeared to have forgotten the history between him and leaders from the DAP and PKR, and that their recent cooperation would only raise a cloud of suspicion. "Although everything is possible in politics, but in reality, it is not easy to erase a dark episode." Awang said Dr Mahathir was also the one who cemented DAP's bad image in the eyes of the Malays while DAP parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang, had insulted and defamed Dr Mahathir during their feuds. "DAP is alive because they are anti-Dr Mahathir, who was labelled as despotic, leading a corrupt government and so on. As a matter of fact, DAP wants Dr Mahathir to be arrested and imprisoned if they come to power one day," said the columnist in the Malay daily's Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia. Awang also highlighted the dispute between Dr Mahathir and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, questioning whether the former prime minister would retract the statements and accusations hurled at his former deputy prime minister. Furthermore, Dr Mahathir has also forgotten the support he received from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the Umno saga which led to the formation of Semangat 46. Awang took the opportunity to praise the PAS leadership, especially its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, for not falling into the "DAP's trap". He added that Dr Mahathir's action could turn into an advantage for Barisan Nasional, saying that many youngsters were not too excited by the declaration. "The people, including fence-sitters, are evaluating this latest development and (they) don't want anything that can harm the country, especially Muslims," Awang said. On Friday, Dr Mahathir launched the Citizens' Declaration in his bid to remove Najib as the prime minister. The declaration, which was signed by 58 individuals, among others, calls for Najib's removal. The declaration also touched on some reforms to institutions, such as moves to restore integrity to "undermined institutions", such as the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara and the Public Accounts Committee. – March 6, 2016.]]>