KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has called on all Pakatan Harapan and the Opposition bloc to adopt a ‘big tent’ approach in reclaiming their mandate as a constitutionally elected government by the people.

In a statement, Lim said the Opposition bloc should not waste time as their objective was only achievable through a starting point of 105 MPs, six short of a simple majority in Parliament to form the new government.

"Both Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal bear the responsibility to work together to return the mandate of the people. 

"There must be a real alternative to the failed Perikatan Nasional (PN) government that caused the record number of infections and deaths as well as failing to pull the economy out of the economic recession. 

"Sticking to the failed PN government is not the solution to the problem the nation is facing, when the entire PN government is the problem,” he said in a statement here.

Anwar is PKR president cum Opposition Leader while Shafie is president of Parti Warisan Sabah who is aligned with the greater PH coalition comprising PKR, Parti Amanah Negara and DAP.

The big tent or catch-all party phrase is used in reference to a political party’s policy of permitting or encouraging a broad spectrum of views among its members.

On Friday, PH unanimously decided to reject embattled prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s offer to work together in a bipartisan manner in exchange for a slew of constitutional and law amendments that will be implemented by the government following the passing of the vote of confidence scheduled next month.

In his speech, Muhyiddin also insisted that not a single MP can prove they had the majority support to be able to present themselves to the Agong to appoint them as the new prime minister.