DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Kit Siang, who is the DAP parliamentary leader, was not appointed to the position as it would mean other leaders of his standing would have to be placed there also.
“If we put Kit Siang there, then we must put other leaders there as well,” he told a press conference at his office here.
Guan Eng yesterday said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be made “special advisers” of the coalition’s pro-tem committee.
On March 25, Muhyiddin, who is PPBM president, told a party rally in Padang Rengas that the “new coalition” should be Malay-based and PPBM will be among the main parties to support its struggle.
“We would like this movement pioneered by the opposition to be an organisation headed by Malays,” the former deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president was quoted as saying by Astro Awani.
“Its majority is Malay, but the other parties uniting in Pakatan Harapan will become a part of our family. This is important for the people to be convinced (in Pakatan).”
Muhyiddin, who also suggested the coalition’s name be changed to Barisan Rakyat, had said this just a day after the PH presidents’ council, comprising leaders of the original components PKR, DAP and Amanah, had agreed to take PPBM into its fold on March 24.
Guan Eng stressed that Mahathir and Wan Azizah would together be the “principal face” of PH, but it did not mean that this was due to Muhyiddin’s assertion.
“It’s not related,” he said.
“If we choose Anwar Ibrahim (PKR de facto head) to be the prime minister, it does not mean that it is because we are catering to Malays,” he added. “It is because Anwar is the most qualified leader who represents all races.”
He said this was unlike Barisan Nasional (BN), which he claimed resorted to racial stereotyping.
Guan Eng said members of the pro-tem committee would be decided during the next presidents’ council meeting.
“It has to be a multiracial mix,” he said, adding all the parties are equal partners in the coalition.
He reiterated that PH is due for a “reset” with the coming of PPBM. “We will keep the good and discard the bad.”
Guan Eng also said DAP had decided on its four members to represent the party in the pro-tem committee and would announce them together with the other component parties when introducing the committee’s line-up.