DAP, PH were once desperate for Umno, BN’s support, Kian Ming recalls

DAP, PH were once desperate for Umno, BN’s support, Kian Ming recalls

4 hours ago

FMT Reporters

The former DAP leader responds to Lim Guan Eng's criticism of Umno.

Former DAP leader Ong Kian Ming said DAP and PH even wanted to form an electoral pact with BN for the Johor election.

PETALING JAYA:

Former DAP leader Ong Kian Ming today said the party and Pakatan Harapan (PH) were desperate for Umno and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) support to form the federal government following the general election in 2022 which ended in a hung parliament.

“(DAP and PH) even wanted to form an electoral pact with BN for the Johor election,” Ong, who resigned as a DAP member earlier this year, said in an Instagram post.

Ong’s comments follow criticism of Umno by DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng last night.

In an FMT video clip shared by the former Bangi MP, Lim said Umno would flip flop as long as it suited the party politically.

“You look at Umno’s statement, one day they’ll say one thing, another day they’ll say another thing. As long as it suits their political purpose,” Lim said.

The former finance minister also said it was time for Umno to leave the unity government and expressed hope that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would kick the party out of his administration.

An Instagram post by former DAP leader Ong Kian Ming responding to party adviser Lim Guan Eng’s criticism of Umno.

Lim was responding to Umno’s criticism of Loke Siew Fook’s resignation as transport minister. He also said the party was “full of contradictions” and asked why Umno had not raised the matter before Loke’s resignation took effect.

While Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described Loke as a “man of principle” for keeping to his promise to step down, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan accused the DAP secretary-general of disrespecting the king’s power to grant pardons.

Loke announced his resignation as transport minister in September after former prime minister Najib Razak was granted a conditional pardon. He said his resignation would take effect when the former Umno president began serving his SRC International jail term under house arrest.

No single political party or coalition managed to attain a simple majority to form the government on its own after the 15th general election, which led to the formation of a unity government involving PH, BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.

BN decided to go solo at the Johor polls earlier this year, contesting all 56 seats and prompting PH to do the same. BN won the state polls decisively, securing 48 seats compared to PH’s eight.