Syukri Razab, who is also chief strategist of PH’s Youth wing, said the prime minister’s statement could become a precedent for the government to go back on the promises contained in its joint manifesto during the last polls.

“It goes to show as if the manifesto prepared before the general election does not have a strong foundation. Whereas we all know that it is the result of feedback from the people based on decades of struggle by the opposition,” Syukri said.

He said one such U-turn had already been made, when the government said it would revamp the National Civics Bureau (BTN), despite earlier calls to abolish the programme which was criticised as a “brainwashing tool” under the previous government.

He questioned if the PH government under Mahathir would likewise retain the Universities and University Colleges Act.

Yesterday, Mahathir defended the coalition’s choice of former judge Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof as the new Dewan Rakyat speaker despite an earlier promise to fill the post with an MP.

“Please remember that the manifesto is not a bible. It’s a guide. Sometimes we can do things, sometimes we find that we cannot. So we need to be practical,” he said.

Syukri said while the manifesto was not a holy book, it was made sacred by the fact that its promises had pushed PH to power.

“If at all there is a need to amend a pledge, it must take into account the sanctity of the people’s voice through a referendum,” he added.

“It’s crucial for the people to appreciate that the current government does not easily renege on its promises.”

Manifesto not a bible, says Dr M in defence of speaker’s appointment