Media Conference Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Parliament on Wednesday, 17^th June 2009 at 11 am: 

Najib’s latest tango in the UMNO-PAS “unity government” talks highly suspect as its real motive is to split PAS and divide Pakatan Rakyat

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s latest tango in the Umno-Pas “unity government” talks is highly suspect as its real motive is to split PAS and divide Pakatan Rakyat.

Najib said he believed Pas was sincere in wanting to form a unity government with Umno as proposed by its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Umno would not reject any co-operation that could bring benefit to the country.

Why has Najib suddenly warmed up to the idea of Umno-Pas “unity government” when only three days earlier the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had poured cold water on it, dismissing the proposal as unlikely to become a reality with differences within Pas itself and the Pakatan Rakyat parties.

Muhyiddin even said that Umno was prepared to “to respond to the proposal if it was mutually beneficial but would not do so now. Until today, there is nothing concrete.”

Why has the top Umno leadership suddenly changed tack on this issue, if not to exploit what they perceived as opportunities to exploit differences and contradictions in Pas and Pakatan Rakyat.

What is the reaction of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the other BN component parties to the idea of a “Umno-Pas unity government” talks? Are they just simply dumb and irrelevant in the highest echelons of Barisan Nasional leadership?

DAP has made clear our position on any Umno-Pas “unity government” talks and the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council will meet on Monday to hear Hadi’s explanation on the issue.

I don’t see MCA or Gerakan asking for an explanation from Najib on the proposed “Umno-Pas unity government talks”! Why?

The media have been after me for my reaction to the press conference statement by Pas secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Ali that Pas will hold unity talks with Umno only if the other two Pakatan Rakyat partners, PKR and DAP, are included in the talks.

I will await explanation of Mustapha’s proposal at the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council meeting on Monday before reacting.

However, I will like to hear not only what Najib and other Umno leaders have to say, but what MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties have to say about Mustapha’s proposal. Or are MCA, Gerakan, MIC and the other BN component parties not allowed to react before Umno has decided on the line that must be adhered to by all in BN?

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor