SHAH ALAM, 26 SEPT: Former UMNO Vice-President Tan Sri Muhammad Taib said an UMNO-PAS collaboration is unnecessary because it will give the Coalition a wide open opportunity to establish the federal government in the next 14th General Election (GE-14).
Refuting the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s views on creating space for collaborations, Muhammad Taib said the Pakatan component parties should be prepared to strengthen the party so as to form a government.
“There should be no agenda to be squeezed in here and there, or it will be the people who suffer. The Coalition makes an effort to provide an alternative to the people. Whatever BN’s weaknesses may be, these should not be repeated.
“Should BN becomes the choice and listens to the people, why would they want to work with parties that oppose negotiations with the government? If BN is good, they should stand on their own feet, unless they are already being rejected.
“When you’re not even good to begin with, to become victorious and powerful, you’ll have to play dirty. Come to an agreement with the goalkeeper and let go of the ball. Even if you miss, you’re still in.
“In politics, we do not want to create people who want to maintain power. UMNO has maintained power for almost 60 years,” he said in an exclusive interview with The Malaysian Insider in Shah Alam, Selangor.
Muhammad joined PAS two days after the nomination day last General Election in 2013.
Previously, Muhyiddin reportedly said that BN has no problems with working with PAS because the BN component party is open to taking any measures, including talks with PAS for the common objective of uniting the Muslims in the country.
On the basis of BN wanting to maintain power, the former Chief Minister of Selangor said that the people will bear the losses if negotiations failed.
Urging the parties to strengthen their leadership so as to capture Putrajaya in the next GE 14, he believed BN and Pakatan should choose different paths.
“BN wants to maintain power, but it is the people who will suffer from the consequences. My point is, let BN do things their own way and PR should stand united as before. I believe in GE14, we will capture Putrajaya,” he said.