Rafizi claims hung Parliament with Harapan leading could turn DAP 'Malay'
GE15 | PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli is confident that the 15th general election will end without any coalition or party having a majority - leading to a hung Parliament.
He also said efforts to form a post-election government could see Pakatan Harapan's rivals declaring that "DAP is Malay" in order to get their support.
Speaking at a ceramah in Ledang, Johor last night, the Pandan candidate reiterated that the front runner in GE15, for now, is Harapan - whom he believes has about 80 seats in their hands.
Meanwhile, he said BN is in second place with about 60 to 70 seats, and that the ruling coalition is fully aware of their current circumstances.
"Umno-BN, even though they were confident they could win until they forced an election to be held now, do you hear them thumping their chest saying that they will form a government?
"We don't hear it, unlike previously when they were so confident," he said at a mini ceramah in Tangkak.
During an earlier ceramah at a packed cafe in Batu Pahat, Rafizi said that signs of BN's lack of confidence can be seen in their lacklustre performance in the "flag war".
Describing it as BN's most 'cabuk' (useless) show of strength, the PKR deputy president claimed that Umno leaders were not putting in money to put up flags.
"I have many Umno friends, they like to buy insurance if they see the wave is strong. All of them said the same thing - there is no money.
"I said 'it can't be, aren't you rich?'. But I understand that when they say there is no money it means that the CEO of ‘Umno Bank’ is now in the Kajang ‘hotel’, so there is no money," he said.
Rafizi Ramli speaking in a ceramah in Batu Pahat, Johor
This is in reference to former BN chief Najib Abdul Razak - who is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Kajang prison after being convicted on the RM42 million SRC International case.
Najib is also on trial for the 1MDB scandal - of which part of it involves a US$681 million transfer into Najib's accounts in the lead-up to the 2013 general election.
The funds were used to fill BN's war chest in the polls. Najib later returned US$620 million.
Prosecutors and investigators say the monies had originated from misappropriated 1MDB funds, and that the returned sum had gone into accounts under the control of fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (or Jho Low).
Besides Najib's absence, Rafizi said Umno leaders simply didn't want to invest too much in an election they were not confident of winning.
Yesterday, BN chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the number of party flags put up could not be used as a benchmark for support during an election.
PN doing poorly in Johor
Meanwhile, Rafizi said Perikatan Nasional was also doing poorly even in Johor - the home state of coalition leader Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Johor PKR chief claimed Harapan has overtaken PN as the second most popular coalition among Malays in the state - a vast improvement from the Johor state election.
READ MORE: In southern Johor, BN's fortunes at state polls may evaporate
If his predictions of a hung Parliament come true, Rafizi said it was not impossible that either BN or PN would approach Harapan component DAP for support as a matter of political expediency.
Explaining this, he said attacks against DAP, such as being a communist party, only really heat up during election season.
"But two or three years ago, when they (Umno) did not have a majority, Umno tried to woo DAP about working with Umno," he said.
This is in reference to former BN chief Najib Abdul Razak - who is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Kajang prison after being convicted on the RM42 million SRC International case.
Najib is also on trial for the 1MDB scandal - of which part of it involves a US$681 million transfer into Najib's accounts in the lead-up to the 2013 general election.
The funds were used to fill BN's war chest in the polls. Najib later returned US$620 million.
Prosecutors and investigators say the monies had originated from misappropriated 1MDB funds, and that the returned sum had gone into accounts under the control of fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (or Jho Low).
Besides Najib's absence, Rafizi said Umno leaders simply didn't want to invest too much in an election they were not confident of winning.
Yesterday, BN chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the number of party flags put up could not be used as a benchmark for support during an election.
PN doing poorly in Johor
Meanwhile, Rafizi said Perikatan Nasional was also doing poorly even in Johor - the home state of coalition leader Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Johor PKR chief claimed Harapan has overtaken PN as the second most popular coalition among Malays in the state - a vast improvement from the Johor state election.
READ MORE: In southern Johor, BN's fortunes at state polls may evaporate
If his predictions of a hung Parliament come true, Rafizi said it was not impossible that either BN or PN would approach Harapan component DAP for support as a matter of political expediency.
Explaining this, he said attacks against DAP, such as being a communist party, only really heat up during election season.
"But two or three years ago, when they (Umno) did not have a majority, Umno tried to woo DAP about working with Umno," he said.
Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin
This is possibly in reference to the joint coup by Umno and Harapan in Perak against then menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu in 2020.
As for PN, he said PAS, in particular, would demonise non-Malay or Chinese parties who are opposed to them but fawn over those who are working with them.
Hence, he said Muhyiddin or PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang - who have been staunch critics of DAP - might be singing a different tune next week after the election.
"Let's say next week, their decision is to unite and join the government, they have to engage DAP.
"Believe me when I say, at that time, Muhyiddin or Hadi, the matter of DAP being 'communists' won't arise.
"If it is to join the government so that they can return to power and become ministers, the day before they will say Harapan (belongs to) DAP Chinese, but the next day they will say 'DAP is actually Malay'," Rafizi said.
PAS and DAP had previously joined forces under Barisan Alternatif in 1998, before forming Pakatan Rakyat together with PKR in 2008.
However, tensions between the two led to a split and Pakatan's demise in 2015 - after which Harapan was formed with the PAS splinter group Amanah.
Bersatu would then join Harapan in 2016, only to betray the coalition in 2020 with Muhyiddin claiming that he needed to save the country from DAP's influence.
This is possibly in reference to the joint coup by Umno and Harapan in Perak against then menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu in 2020.
As for PN, he said PAS, in particular, would demonise non-Malay or Chinese parties who are opposed to them but fawn over those who are working with them.
Hence, he said Muhyiddin or PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang - who have been staunch critics of DAP - might be singing a different tune next week after the election.
"Let's say next week, their decision is to unite and join the government, they have to engage DAP.
"Believe me when I say, at that time, Muhyiddin or Hadi, the matter of DAP being 'communists' won't arise.
"If it is to join the government so that they can return to power and become ministers, the day before they will say Harapan (belongs to) DAP Chinese, but the next day they will say 'DAP is actually Malay'," Rafizi said.
PAS and DAP had previously joined forces under Barisan Alternatif in 1998, before forming Pakatan Rakyat together with PKR in 2008.
However, tensions between the two led to a split and Pakatan's demise in 2015 - after which Harapan was formed with the PAS splinter group Amanah.
Bersatu would then join Harapan in 2016, only to betray the coalition in 2020 with Muhyiddin claiming that he needed to save the country from DAP's influence.
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