‘This Is A Coalition, Not A Unity Government’ – Tun Dr Mahathir
The former prime minister explained that a unity government is the kind that was formed by Winston Churchill during World War 2.
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Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in an interview with The Rakyat Post recently, insisted that the government formed after the recently concluded 15th General Election (GE15) was not a ‘unity government’.
Instead, according to him, it was a coalition government.
He said this was because the government formed did not include all parties in Malaysia, such as PAS.
“This is not a unity government, this is a coalition. We’ve had coalitions before,” Dr Mahathir said when met at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.
He explained that Umno, among the 13 parties under Barisan Nasional (BN) was part of a coalition government back when it was in power.
In drawing an example of a former British prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill’s government at the height of the second world War, he said that could be considered a unity government as it involved all parties (Labour and Conservative).
The present government of Malaysia did not include all parties as it is made up of Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and GPS as well as GRS from Sarawak and Sabah.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) made up of Bersatu and PAS form the Opposition bloc.
“If the government is made up of all parties like what happened during the time of Winston Churchill during the 2nd World War which was called the National Government, then that is a unity government.
“When Churchill won (called to be appointed as Prime Minister after the resignation of Neville Chamberlain), he was of the opinion that the UK should set aside party (interests). A National Government was formed which included the Labour and the Conservative.
“In America, sometimes they practise bipartisanship where the Democrats and the Republicans agree on certain matters for instance defence, where a decision made will involve both sides,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said this when asked to comment on the goverment today which relies heavily on the term ‘unity’.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had received the consent from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be appointed to the post and he was tasked with forming a government.
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