RANTAU, April 11 — An alliance between Umno and PAS is necessary to return parity to the local political landscape that is allegedly dominated by the DAP, Rantau hopeful Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today.

Mohamad, who is acting Umno president, said Umno and PAS simply wanted to "wrest the country from DAP”.

"People said Umno-PAS coalition is a sign we want to go to war with the non-Malays, but who wants to go to war?” Mohamad asked a huge crowd of around 2,000 to 3,000 people at Taman Angsamas in Rantau tonight.

"With this government, Malays and Muslims are made to be afraid of living in their own country and we don’t have money to kickstart the economy as foreign investors have lost faith in the government.

"This is called ‘double jeopardy’ where were losing on both fronts due to a critical shortage of cash flow. All this due to a poor government,” he claimed.

The Umno-PAS coalition proved fruitful during the Cameron Highland and Semenyih by-elections, where Malays rallied behind them to beat the Pakatan Harapan (PH) machinery.

Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, gave examples of the failed ratification of the Rome Statute, Tabung Haji’s billions in losses, and allegations that the PH government has not fulfilled any of its manifesto pledges as signs of poor governance resulting in loss of public confidence.

"In almost a year PH government have not done anything good nor fulfilled any of their manifesto pledges,” said Mohamad.

"Their ministers are all talking nonsense. I ask all of you, who has had their daily spoonful of palm oil?” Mohamad said as the crowd broke into raptures.

General view of the crowd at Ceramah Perdana Barisan Nasional in Rantau April 11, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

The Rantau candidate appeared to be referring to Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok who encouraged people consume a spoonful of red palm oil a day to maintain their youth.

Mohamad said he felt the next general elections will be sooner rather than later and that PH will not last more than one term (five years).

"I believe the next general elections will come less than four years as we all know our ‘Atuk’ won’t relinquish the title to his friend,” said Mohamad, alluding to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s promise to make Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim his successor.

"He won’t give it up and in the end he (Anwar) will be made to look like a cartoon. He better not hope for it.

"Yesterday he (Anwar) said he will be the next prime minister and one from Port Dickson. Well, we shall see. What’s more important for us now is to win this election this Saturday,” Mohamad added.

The Rantau by-election this Saturday will see a four-cornered race between Mohamad, PH’s Dr S. Streram and independent candidates R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yasin.