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KLANG: Times have changed and no political party can claim to be the strongest and in control, says Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“No party can now say that it is the most dominant and the one in control while belittling the others.
“That’s the old policy,” Muhyiddin said in his speech at the MIC’s 74th annual general assembly here on Saturday (April 3).
Delivering his speech via video conference, Muhyiddin said that the current political culture attached equal importance to all parties to discuss and reach a collective consensus.
He said that any direction that political parties take must be oriented toward the betterment of the people and the nation, as opposed to a particular individual or group.
The Prime Minister also thanked the MIC for its stoic support for the Perikatan Nasional Government and hoped that it would not only be for now, but also in the future.
He praised MIC for backing Perikatan, saying it was the right decision, even more so, at a time when the country was facing the vagaries of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said MIC’s support indicates that the party understands the problems facing the nation and its people.
“This is a wise and rational decision (by MIC) and I hope the Indian community will support the party in its decision,” he added.
Muhyiddin also said that MIC must play a critical role in ensuring political stability in the nation.
“We need the commitment of everyone, including MIC leaders and members, to prioritize political unity and not political division,” said Muhyiddin, who is also president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Muhyiddin assured the Indian community that the current government will study their needs.
“No one will be left behind in enjoying the benefits of the nation. We will take care of you and this is our commitment to you,” Muhyiddin said.
Earlier, the chairman of Barisan Nasional and chairman of Umno, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said that Umno, MIC and MCA go back a long time and have faced various challenges together for decades.
He also said in his videoconference address that when Barisan lost the 14th General Election, he had only lost one round of ballot boxes but had won 13 previous general elections.
“For the 15th General Election, we must be prepared as one team and we must redeem ourselves through team spirit despite threats and challenges from within and without.
“We must commit to sticking together,” said Ahmad Zahid.
Speaking on another matter, Ahmad Zahid said that the Covid-19 pandemic should not be used as an excuse to stifle democracy.
“We want the parliamentary and state assembly sessions to resume.
“We are not disrespecting the emergency order aimed at keeping the Covid-19 pandemic under control, but night markets and shopping malls can now operate, surely the parliamentary session can also continue,” said Ahmad Zahid.
He said the emergency period should be shortened for the sake of the nation’s democracy.
According to Ahmad Zahid, the time had come to start Parliament, as the number of cases was decreasing and the vaccination exercise was ongoing.
He added that the emergency should not be due to a hidden agenda.
In January, a state of emergency was declared to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic due to an increase in the number of cases.
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