'You can't cover the elephant's carcass': Saifuddin Abdullah on Unity Government's transparency

KUALA LUMPUR - Bersatu Supreme Council Member Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah fired back at criticism from government coalition members, hinting at the gradual unmasking of their true nature.

Speaking about the increasing transparency—or lack thereof—within the ruling coalition, Saifuddin referenced a Malay proverb, "Bangkai gajah tidak boleh ditutup," which translates to "you can't cover the carcass of an elephant."

He described this proverb as a reminder that certain truths would inevitably come to light despite attempts to conceal them.

"Without anyone provoking you, you sometimes reveal yourself. Day by day, the coalition government, their leaders, and key individuals showed their true colors," he told Sinar Daily in an interview at the Parliament building.

The Bersatu's international bureau chief comments came in the wake of an alleged controversy involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, who recently claimed that he was not allowed to request a recount for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat during the 15th General Election (GE15).

Shamsul lost by 300 votes to Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a highly contested race.

The narrow margin of defeat led Shamsul to believe that a recount was necessary to ensure the fairness of the result.

However, he revealed that he was denied this right, further igniting suspicions about the election process.

Although the Indera Mahkota MP was not directly involved in the dispute, Saifuddin viewed this incident as yet another example of growing concerns regarding transparency within the current administration.

"The rakyat is watching...it’s almost like 'we know what you did last summer," he added.