KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Political leaders aligned to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have been kept busy going about offering senior positions in government-linked entities and money to secure support for the prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed today, as the new administration marks its 100th day in office.
The former prime minister also claimed that those who snubbed the offers were threatened and “abused”.
“Today, leaders who are among Muhyiddin’s supporters are going here and there to offer positions and money to increase support. Whoever rejects their offers will be threatened and abused,” the Langkawi MP wrote on his blog, seeming the sequel to an earlier diatribe against the new government.
Dr Mahathir used the Malay phrase “ke sana ke sini” to describe Muhyiddin’s supporters’ movements, a reference to a phrase used by Muhyiddin in his public address during the movement control order.
The phrase warning against those who were not staying put at home went viral with the public, including spawning a shuffle dance.
He then congratulated those who rejected the offers, calling them “brave” for risking their political careers and financial aid for their constituencies.
“Only people like these can save the nation and the Malays. Trust me, those who are willing to sell themselves, those who accept that ‘cash is king’, these people would destroy the nation together with the Malays. These are the people who have formed the government now,” Dr Mahathir wrote.
He reiterated his accusations that members of the Muhyiddin government consisted of those who prioritised positions and handsome salaries, burying the past government’s ideal to fight kleptocracy.
“They are willing to forget the reason they were elected by the people. They do not even feel grateful to the people. What they see are opportunities and salaries from offers given by Muhyiddin. For this, they are willing to work and support the kleptocracy which they hated previously,” Dr Mahathir wrote.
This is not Dr Mahathir’s first time making pointed accusations against the Perikatan Nasional government that replaced his Pakatan Nasional administration, just a few months shy of its two-year historic win in Malaysia’s elections.
Last week, the 94-year-old took to his blog accusing the Muhyiddin government of dangling positions in the government and government-linked companies to MPs in exchange for political support.
In the blog entry to mark PN’s 100th day of rule, Dr Mahathir even claimed the new administration would create new government posts just to fill them with supporters.
