Keep your mouth shut, Loke warns DAP members unhappy about working with Umno

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has slammed the party's former national spokesman Tony Pua for urging voters to reject Barisan Nasional (BN), telling those who are not happy with the current alliance between Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to stop speaking on behalf of DAP.

"Anyone in DAP who cannot keep their mouth shut on this matter is not welcome at all to speak on the DAP stage," Loke said in response to Pua's speech during a fundraising event yesterday, where the former Damansara MP described BN as a "corrupt coalition".

Pua also warned that the current government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was fragile and expressed hope that PH could form the government on its own.

Loke, in his response, said attacking a coalition partner was uncalled for and said Pua no longer represents DAP.

"Tony Pua no longer holds any position in DAP. As such, he was speaking in a personal capacity and not representing the party leadership at all," he added.

Loke also defended DAP's decision to work together with Umno, saying it was a move to ensure "political stability".

"Any provocative statement against coalition partners in the unity government goes against the party's current stance and direction," he said.

Pua alongside former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming were sidelined in the party after they questioned PH's rejection of an offer by then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to work together to stop any return of Umno "kleptocrats" to power, a term which refers to those facing corruption charges, including party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Muhyiddin had made the offer after Zahid alongside former leader Najib Razak hatched a plot to topple the government in a bid to force a general election in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pua and Ong had said Muhyiddin's offer of a cross-party consensus should have been considered as it would not only benefit PH in demanding reforms but also keep corrupt Umno leaders from returning to power.