Ex-PM Ismail Sabri likens unity government to 'forced marriage'
ILI LIYANA MOKHTAR
KUALA LUMPUR - Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Yaakob has likened the unity government to a "forced marriage" that has started to show cracks in the union.
Speaking at an event on Sunday (April 16), Ismail said the ruling parties in the unity government were already attacking each other in the public domain, and this would only lead to a "permanent break-up".
"Whatever we do, it must be with mutual love. Forced marriages will not last long. A forced marriage (between former rival political parties) - without love, there will be obvious cracks and will eventually lead to a break up," he told an online local TV portal.
"As for now, this is only just the beginning of what we have seen, I do no want to comment much, but you can already see the initial cracks appearing, with DAP throwing jabs at Umno and Umno throwing jabs at DAP," he said.
Ismail who is also Bera MP said former Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed had openly criticised DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang and Lim as well as other party members had responded.
"Forced marriages do not work - there must be mutual love. It cannot be marriages between the top leadership only - there must be a marriage of love between those at the grassroots too. If not, this is what happens (open criticism against one another)," Ismail said.
On Saturday, Nur Jazlan had reportedly called DAP a liability that is adversely affecting Umno’s efforts in winning back Malay support.
He had said that it was already challenging for Umno to gain back the confidence of the majority community in time for the six state elections soon, and DAP was not helping its cause.
“Umno is sincere in making this unity government a success, that’s why we haven’t said anything. But when we are quiet, DAP is the one who makes such statements,” he was reported as saying.
Nur Jazlan was responding to a comment made by Perak DAP vice-chairman Abdul Aziz Bari that the Malay support has moved from Umno to Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Lim was also reported to have said that while the outlook for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government was positive, it was at risk of a “self-destruct” by embarking on policies which were totally contradictory with the core values of its struggle.
