PUTRAJAYA, Sept 10 — The DAP-Barisan Nasional (BN) cooperation in forming the Unity Government ensures the well-being of the people, said DAP Chairman Lim Guan Eng.
In his opening speech at the 2023 DAP national congress here today, he said the relationship that was forged after the 15th General Election to safeguard the people and the nation as decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is highly appreciated.
“From foes to friends, as long as the people are taken care. Prior to that, it was unimaginable,” he said, adding that the presence of BN Chairman and UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his entourage at the congress today was a historical moment for the party.
He said in the span of nine months, the Unity Government has succeeded in bringing down inflation to two percent in July and sustained economic development as well.
“We now have the National Industry Master Plan to draw in RM95 billion investments in order to increase median monthly salary to RM4,150 by 2030,” he said.
Touching on PH candidates’ win at the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections yesterday, Lim said it proved that the people are backing the party within the Unity Government as they want a multi-racial government to serve and care for everyone, regardless of race and religion.
“This is the people’s aspiration, from the peninsular to Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysia belongs to those who are born here, grow up here, work and pay taxes here and built their families here,” he said.
He said the current government is also supported for its efficient management of the economy and tackling cost of living issues.
Lim said the party will not be swayed by dirty politics which manipulates the race sentiment, with elements of extremism, slander, petty quarrels, hatred, scare tactics and threats to divide the people, that benefits no one.
“Do not fall for the political wolf masked as principled statesman or young people who uphold old politics, full of jealousy and envy, just to take revenge,” said Lim.
He said he was sure Perikatan Nasional (PN) will distort their loss as a win just because they obtained more votes.
“I want to remind PN that they described the election in six states as a referendum on the leadership of the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) by the people, but PH-BN won the popular vote with 49.5 percent.
“The people support the Unity Government as they want political stability, to shift the focus on the economy and well-being of the people. Enough of politicking, now let us see who can enable the people to have better lives,” he said.
In the Pulai parliamentary by-election PH candidate Suhaizan Kaiat won by a majority of 18,641 votes defeating PN’s Zulkifli Jaafar and Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.
For the state assembly seat in Simpang Jeram, PH’s Nazri Abdul Rahman won by a majority of 3,514 in the contest against PN’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya and Independent candidate, S Jeganathan.
