PUTRAJAYA, 22 June 2009: The Barisan Nasional (BN) government has the capacity to continue administering the country even without the formation of the proposed unity government, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The prime minister said the BN was strong and had the capability to implement its development programmes. As such, the question of the BN government being weak so much so that there was a need for a unity government did not arise, he told reporters after a
meeting of the heads of Malaysian foreign missions at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.
He said the government had merely responded to a proposal by PAS for a unity government.
Najib was asked to comment on a meeting today among PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Raykat (PKR), which decided to dismiss the proposal for the formation of a unity government.
He said the government had responded positively to the proposal because it assumed that it was for the good of the country.
“We are consistent in our stand. Anything for the good of the country must be worked on together, even if the proposal comes from an opposition party,” he said.
The proposal for a unity government came from PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, but it was opposed by many senior leaders of the party itself as well as the party’s partners in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), the DAP and PKR.
Asked whether the Malays would stand to lose now that the PR had dismissed the unity government proposal, Najib said, “I don’t think
so. I hope they are very measured in whatever they do and we will not go overboard with whether we have the talks or we don’t have the talks [on the unity government].
“What’s important is that we manage our differences and that we always have the nation in our hearts and minds.”
Asked whether the unity government talks would re-emerge in the future, Najib said anything was possible in politics. — Bernama
Nicholas.C says
“BN can go it alone.” Famous last words?
John Bastille says
Too bad. I would prefer that PAS join Umno and both disappear from the political landscape. We can allow other progressive parties to help the Malays then. Finally, the Malays could avail themselves real leaders to lead them to become competitive in all areas, especially secular areas such as economy, properties, productivity, sports, and intellectual pursuits.
Finally, we can see the end of extreme Islamism.
tkwah says
BN can go it alone … All other Malaysians go with Pakatan …
james au says
I guess if the “RAHMAN” prophecy runs true, BN’s day in Malaysian politics are numbered. Look at how the PM and DPM are pleading to PAS hoping against hope that they will rejoin Umno. But the PR did not fall into their trap as they are going stronger day by day. By the next general election, Malaysians will celebrate a “New Malaysia” run by the PR.
Nicholas Aw says
The PM has to be on denial mode and say that ‘BN can go it alone’. Politics is like business, there will never be a talk of a merger (in this case ‘unity talk’) unless the company is facing difficulties and liquidation.
What prompted Umno to be willing to pursue the idea of a unity talk that could have led to a unity government is definitely the worry that Pakatan Rakyat is moving up the popularity scale. At the other end Umno and BN are sliding down the popularity scale. Consequently, Najib has to seek ways to helm the ship otherwise he is heading for a disastrous end come GE-13.
Now that the unity talk has been shot down, things are back to square one but I believe that it is only temporary. Be assured that BN/Umno will come up with other means to ensure that they continue ruling for the next 50 years. This is something that the rakyat have to see that it will not happen in the next general election.