I had not wanted to say anything on the Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim’s Time magazine interview that he does not rule out PAS joining the unity government if policy conditions accepted, but a letter writer in Malaysiakini said this was not a new proposal as I had made it in May, remarking that I had “fallen into the realms of hypocrisy and desperation, sacrificing principles for surface-level stability”.

This was not so.

I said in my statement of 29th May 2023 that I personally support the idea of PAS being part of the Anwar unity government although I had not discussed it with the DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke or any other DAP leaders, but PAS must demonstrate a change of attitude to show that it supports the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s call for political stability and national unity in Malaysia.

For a start, I asked, was Hadi prepared to retract and apologise for the numerous wild and preposterous allegations he had made against the DAP and me?

Secondly, would PAS MPs show that they would stop playing up race and religious issues and be model MPs who support political stability and national unity?

Thirdly would PAS support the objective to make Malaysia the role model for the world for inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural, and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding, tolerance, and harmony?

The results of the six state general elections, the two by-elections of Pulai and Simpang Jeram in Johore and Pelangai by-election in Pahang, have stabilised the political situation in Malaysia for the next four years and given hope that Malaysia can rise up again to be a great world-class nation.

(Media Statement by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, 15th October 2023)