MCA: Dr M’s ultimate aim is to make his son PM
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has taken a dig at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for wanting to cling on to power.
Its deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Mah Hang Soon said the move by the former prime minister to pick Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as prime minister candidate sounded like an afterthought.
“After the backlash from Malaysians over his ambition to be the PM for the third time, he realised he was unpopular.
“Shafie was a second choice, but Dr Mahathir’s real choice is his son, Mukhriz,” he said, referring to former Kedah mentri besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
He said the ultimate aim of Dr Mahathir was to ensure his son had a chance at becoming prime minister.
“Everyone can read his mastermind plan well, which is to make sure Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won’t succeed him. To nominate Shafie, who is a non-starter, for the job and eventually to name his son for the job,” he said.
Dr Mah also criticised DAP for being “disturbingly quiet” over the recent remarks by Dr Mahathir that the Chinese were “wealthy” and it was an “unhealthy” trend to live in urban areas.
“None of the top DAP leaders have responded to these racist remarks. Shame on them,” he said.
He said DAP “has forgotten to act like an Opposition party” after having been in Federal Government and “the crave to return to power has made them political addicts”.
Dr Mah urged the Chinese community to reject “the politics of opportunism”.
He said the community must not forget DAP for failing to keep its electoral promises and not to let emotions affect its decision-making.
Dr Mahathir had earlier said via social media that Shafie was touted as the choice of Pakatan Harapan Plus, with two deputy prime ministers – PKR president Anwar and Mukhriz.
However, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu said in a joint statement the three names had yet to be discussed with other party leaders before the proposal was presented to the Pakatan Harapan presidential council.