KUALA LUMPUR: The Perikatan Nasional (PN) has distanced itself from former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's recent remarks questioning the loyalty of the Indian and Chinese communities in Malaysia.
The decision was reached during the PN Supreme Council meeting, as revealed by PN deputy chairman Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai.
He also said Dr Mahathir's statement does not sway public support for PN since he is not part of the coalition.
"Gerakan, during the PN Supreme Council meeting, stressed that we cannot accept Tun M (Dr Mahathir)'s statement and are dissatisfied and disappointed with it, " he said at a press conference today.
In an exclusive interview with Indian satellite TV, Dr Mahathir suggested that the Indian and Chinese communities in Malaysia were not entirely loyal to the country.
Lau said PN chairman and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also disagreed with Dr Mahathir's statement and deemed it inappropriate.
Despite the disagreement, Lau acknowledged seeking Dr Mahathir's advice for the benefit of the four states governed by PN, leveraging his experience and network while disregarding his divisive statement.
Lau, also the Gerakan president, opposed the proposed Fixed-Term Parliament Act put forth by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Instead, he suggested granting members of Parliament a permanent mandate for a full five-year term to ensure their dedicated service to the people.
He also said the party proposed that Parliament should entertain a vote of no confidence in the prime minister if supported by one-quarter of MPs and ensure allocations are distributed equally among MPs.